Central Today Magazine Issue 72

Issue 72 | July/August 2013

Turning points Steve Lange, creator of Tony’s Tyre Service turned serial entrepreneur, shares his secrets to success Brainstorming Making the most of think tank sessions

Pinned it Ten ways to use Pinterest to promote your business

Inside innovation The Kiwi entrepreneur who revolutionised the way the world watches sport

A conversation with JK From diving over try lines to anxiety on the sideline, John Kirwan is an icon of our time

Hamilton’s economic surge With Central’s economic hub continuing to gather pace, we look at some initiatives to ensure momentum is maintained

R R nds h a s u Tho rs wort s rd lla of do der Rewa ! e a of Re this issu etails in rd 4 fo e

g News | Initiatives | Interviews | Personalities | Information | Success | Profiles | Finance | Property | Sustainability | Export | Transport | Retail e p|aSolutions | ISSN 1174-9520 Se

Businesses stand up to solve youth social issues As New Zealand’s youth organisations face an unprecedented funding crisis, businesses nationwide are standing up with new social brand Y for YOUTH to solve our serious youth social issues.

New Zealand has the highest youth suicide rate in the developed world, yet there are more than 6,000 charities dedicated to assisting our youth throughout the country.

Y for YOUTH co-founder Alex Greig says “There are hundreds of very successful programmes out there already in the community. The problem is that they are competing with each other for a diminishing pool of government grants, public donations and gaming trust money, which is limiting their ability to scale and expand capacity and in some instances threatening their very survival.”

Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation CEO, Craig Pollock says he and his organisation are fully aware of the impending youth sector funding crisis.

“Even as one of the larger youth organisations, it is a major challenge finding alternative revenue streams just to fund our current programmes. I suspect a lot of smaller youth organisations may simply not survive the next few years.”

Yet as traditional funding sources for the charity sector continue to decline, New Zealand’s alarming youth social statistics, such as bullying and suicide, continue to increase. Just last year there was a 40 percent increase in youth suicide for 15 – 19 year olds.

What can we do about our youth social issues and the youth sector funding crisis?

“New Zealand’s youth social problems are not going to be solved with sausage sizzles and the old method of rattling the bucket outside shopping centres. Our serious social problems require serious resources and funding.” Greig says.

Y for YOUTH is a turnkey corporate social responsibility platform that enables businesses to contribute to the youth sector in such a way that they benefit from positive publicity and increased sales.

Businesses and brands contribute a percentage of their profits to the Y for YOUTH support network.

In return companies display the Y for YOUTH trademark on their products and advertising, similar to Fairtrade or the Heart Foundation Tick branding models. Consumers are then encouraged to purchase from these companies.

Consumers want to buy from companies that support our communities Greig says that today more than ever, consumers want to buy from companies that contribute to our communities. “We have developed a system that makes it easy for companies to donate to the youth sector, but in such a way that they

benefit from increased sales, positive publicity and an improved brand image. It’s a win-win.”

Through the creation of a sustained funding platform for New Zealand’s youth sector, youth organisations’ fundraising burdens can be alleviated so they can focus on expanding their programmes and impacting as many youth as possible throughout New Zealand.

Y for YOUTH co-founder Lara Jane says “We’re talking about transformation and positive social change for all of New Zealand. The more youth that are positively impacted, the more youth that grow up to be happy, healthy, contributing members in our communities.”

100 Founding Angels As Y for YOUTH works towards becoming financially sustainable, it has created an opportunity for 100 forward thinking businesses and community focused individuals who wish to be involved in a movement to reduce New Zealand’s youth social statistics, to become Founding Angels.

Founding Angels support the development of Y for YOUTH by making an initial $5,000 donation (or $500 per month x 10 months), then $100 per month for three years.

Well known entrepreneur Michael Mayell, founder of Cookie Time, was one of the first to step up and claims that becoming a Founding Angel is a good way of practising corporate social responsibility. “This is just a great opportunity to give back, and it makes it very easy for businesses to do it.”

Twenty eight companies and individuals have already come on board as Founding Angels to support the development and growth of Y for YOUTH including Blacksmith Ltd, Navman Wireless, Academy Publishing, Coca–Cola, Tiki Taane, Kim and Mona Dotcom and Sales Star.

For further information and to get involved visit www.yforyouth.org

Issue 72 July/August 2013

In this issue...

Viewpoints

Features

In business

6 Governance

12 Brainstorming

EMA employment services manager David Lowe looks at employment law’s ever shifting goal posts

Making the most of think tank sessions

25 Focus on Hamilton – an economic powerhouse

6 Politics Labour Party leader David Shearer addresses the rising price of power

13 Inside innovation We run a couple of questions past Ian Taylor - the New Zealand entrepreneur who revolutionised the way the world watches sport

7 Legal Central Today

13,560

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ABC circulation as at 31/03/13

www.centraltoday.co.nz

Malley & Co partner John Shingleton on how to manage a poor performing employee

Watts and Hughes Construction, efficient wood fires via Pyroclassic Fires, D.R. (Jack) Gray’s painting prowess, Stewart Browne Electrical and Taranaki Civil Construction

45 Agribusiness

AUCKLAND OFFICE

8 HR

Academy House 47B Birmingham Drive Middleton PO Box 1879 Christchurch

Level 14 57 Fort Street Auckland 1010

Recruitment guru David Law on an employment market in the middle of a shake up

Gary Collins

OPERATIONS MANAGER

8 Training Employment trainer Tony Naidu on what it takes to develop leaders

Di Barclay

9 Management

ADMINISTRATION

Business consultant Kevin Vincent says effective delegation is a win-win situation

Kylie Moore ADMIN MANAGER Kelly Allen Jade Haylett Rhondda Brisbane Cindy Breward Penny Duns

SALES & ADVERTISING Grant Williams SALES EXECUTIVES Rob Cochrane Peter Black Clive Greenwood Anthony Patrickson Warren Wilks Miranda Telfer Sarah Bately Seth Riley Steve Dando Kayte John George Ziegler Jane Watson

NEWSROOM Jonathon Taylor EDITOR Melinda Collins

CHIEF REPORTER Davina Richards JOURNALISTS Marie Sherry Phone: Fax: Email:

03 961 5050 0800 555 054 editor@academy.net.nz

PRODUCTION Caroline Duke PRODUCTION MANAGER Carolynne Brown PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Sarah Betman DESIGNERS Janelle Pike Jarred Shakespeare Andrea Frame Luke Wattchow Jenna Day Ian Knott ONLINE Phone: Fax: Email:

34 Property and Construction

7 Legal

HEAD OFFICE

MANAGING DIRECTOR

40

Malley and Co lawyer Michael McKay questions whether business interruption insurance keeps you in the game

With the central economic hub continuing to gather pace, we look at some initiatives designed to ensure momentum is maintained. In particular how Downer and the Hamilton City Council delivered the Hamilton Ring Road, and McConnell Property talks about its work on the PwC Centre and the multi-functional business district called Titanium Park

9 Tactics Accountable Business Progress boss, Colin Clapp says there is no box to think outside of

14 The personality profiles of top salespeople There’s more to being a best seller than having the gift of the gab

14 Asked and answered Real life operational boggles solved for you

15 A word of advice

New Zealand’s meat industry is a case study in adaptation, representing an immeasurably valuable GDP driver for more than 130 years .What’s unique about Kopu Engineering’s new concrete dairy platform is all the strength is in the steel, rather than the concrete

51 Business Development

New GrabOne boss Vaughan Magnusson on taking the reins

How Minerva Learning is breaking down the barriers between businesses, IT and project management

16 Cover story

53 Focus

Steve Lange, creator of Tony’s Tyre Service turned serial entrepreneur, shares his secrets to success

The danger of serious workplace stress, Bluebird Foods celebrates 60 years of yum, the Central Forklift Group and the Rumpus Room’s mission to nurture tomorrow’s talent, plus Destination Manawatu

10 Online

69

MyOffice director Steve Lowery tells how the cloud can simplify and enhance your operation

61 Transport

10 Events diary

How Raymond Transport ensures your goods make it to market

Find out what’s on near you

62 Initiatives

RR

Reader rewards in this issue…

• Receive a Bose audio gift from Sound and Vision on page 11 • Grab a sample pack of Canidae all natural dog food on page 44 • Buy two Safebottles and get a third absolutely free on page 49 • Get a 50 percent discount from Minerva Learning on page 51

03 961 5077 0800 555 054 production@academy.net.nz

18 JK From diving over try lines to anxiety on the sideline, John Kirwan is an icon of our time

20 Digital networking As the spotlight on social media starts to set, it’s time to take a tactical approach to online networking

Tomoana Warehousing’s plans for a Hawke’s Bay food hub come to fruition

64 Goods and Services Fabrication by design with Rivet and Hamilton’s Argent Motor Lodge

69 Motoring Turn back the clock to peruse wheels from another era at the Classics Museum

21 Pinned it Ten ways to use Pinterest to promote your business

22 Lifestyles Gadgets, gizmos, bed heads and baubles

24 Destinations Discovering Dubai

Disclaimer: This publication is provided on the basis that A-Mark Publishing is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in these articles, nor for any error or omission from these articles and that the firm is not hereby engaged in rendering advice or services.

A-Mark Publishing expressly disclaim all and any liability and responsibility to any person in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done, or omitted to be done, by any such a person in reliance, whether wholly or partially upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication.

Advertising feature articles are classified as advertising content and as such, information contained in them is subject to the Advertising Standards Authority Codes of Practice.

Contents Copyright 2012 by A-Mark Publishing (NZ) Ltd. All rights reserved. No article or advertisement may be reproduced without written permission.

ISSN 1174-9520 (Print) | ISSN 2230-4991 (Online)

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Viewpoints | Governance/Politics

Addressing the price of power

David Lowe is the manager of employment services at the Employers and Manufacturers Association.

Visit www.ema.co.nz

The most significant change in the employment arena in New Zealand in the past 100 years was arguably the introduction of individual employment agreements brought about through the Employment Contracts (later the Employment Relations) Act. Law changes often reflect changes in society and industry and with new employment law later this year, businesses can expect a further rebalancing in the workplace - in their favour.

Amendments introduced to Parliament recently propose changes to collective bargaining, restructuring and the Privacy Act, meal and rest breaks, vulnerable workers or ‘Part 6A’ (of the Act), flexible working hours, the starting-out wage rate, strikes and lock-outs and the Employment Relations Authority.

That’s a big list and the changes will enable businesses to adapt more quickly to changing market and business conditions, preserving jobs and their very survival.

For example, currently, making changes in unionised workplaces can be held up for no good reason and to the detriment of employees and the business in the longer term.

A change being proposed will allow employees a choice about whether they should join a union and take on union negotiated conditions, or negotiate their own employment terms and conditions.

Already, since May 14, the law requires all unions to hold a secret ballot of their members before striking. A majority must be in favour of striking before strike action can proceed. The secret ballot requirement does not apply if employees have reasonable grounds for believing the strike is justified on the grounds of safety or health.

Furthermore, the changes coming to workplace health and safety are sweeping and will require attention and resources from business. For example, a new emphasis on occupational health aims to prevent

exposure to a health risk in the workplace.

A completely new OSH law will be put in place to ensure everyone takes the issues far more seriously and to impose deterrent penalties. More training is likely for all managers, not just those responsible for OSH. Directors’ liabilities for health and safety breaches are also under discussion.

Of course things don’t always turn out well in workplace relations: employees continue to take personal grievance cases to the Employment Relations Authority and sometimes these escalate to the Employment Court. The EMA measures the number and outcomes of these cases and reports on them publicly each year.

We are pleased the statistics continually prove our members, who have access to daily employment law help at no charge, plus seminars to update them, are more likely to succeed in defending a personal grievance claim than non-members. EMA members succeed in two thirds of cases compared with non-members who succeed in much less than half of their cases. On top of that our members pay legal fees on average $5000 less.

This year we also decided to ask our members which payroll system they preferred and why. The results showed they mostly wanted a system that kept them compliant with the law, was simple to use (while of course ensuring staff were paid on time and accurately), and not too costly.

An addition to payroll since May has been the starting out wage, to be paid to 16-19 year olds in certain circumstances, for the first six months in a job. It stands at 80 per cent of the minimum wage, with the latter at $13.75.

Without an incentive, an employer with a choice between an experienced and an inexperienced worker will choose experience every time.

While there is no silver bullet for creating jobs for young people, the startingout wage offers a vital first step up the employment ladder.

David Shearer is the MP for Mt Albert and leader of the Labour Party

I’ve been travelling a lot lately and business people around the country have been telling me that despite working harder than ever, the high costs of doing business mean the rewards just aren’t coming.

There are many reasons for this. One I’m committed to tackling is market failure in power prices. Since 1999 power prices have risen well beyond the rate of inflation - last year it was five times faster.

That’s not right when electricity demand has been flat. In contrast, many of our major competitor countries have seen declining electricity prices with reduced demand.

That holds New Zealand businesses and industry back and makes it hard for us to compete.

Labour is not prepared to sit back while power companies cream super-profits at the expense of households, businesses and the economy.

My philosophy is that we need to make it as easy as possible for our innovators and businesspeople.

That’s why the next Labour Government will create a new agency called NZ Power to act as a single buyer of wholesale electricity.

NZ Power will act a bit like Pharmac. It will ensure a fair pricing system so electricity companies get a fair return on their investment but will pass on the savings to consumers.

Prices will fall for the average family by more than 10 percent.

Businesses and industry will have their power costs lowered by 5-7 percent, allowing them to expand, hire, and export more.

6 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

There are many countries around the world that have a similar system - many of them like South Korea and Brazil have some of the fastest growing economies. It’s proven.

I fully support free markets, but when they stiff consumers and hold back our growth, it’s not acceptable. Just doing nothing, sitting on our hands, watching power prices rise and refusing to accept the market has failed is not an option.

And the future for power prices looks grim.

With the asset sales plan going ahead, electricity prices are likely to increase further when overseas and corporate investors push for higher returns on their investments.

This policy shows that it is possible to give a lift to people and the economy while balancing the budget. Labour balanced its budget nine times out of nine. When the National Government took over, the books were in surplus. Since then every year, the Government has been in deficit.

Our NZ Power policy will bring down your power bill, stimulate the economy and create the jobs we need.

We will be the smart, active, hands-on government that meets you halfway. We’ve got a suite of forward thinking policies to help businesses grow, hire, export, and develop an international reputation as a country of smart operators.

Independent economists BERL estimate the lower power prices will boost New Zealand’s economic growth by $450 million and create over 5,000 jobs.

Selling and servicing Water Systems, Water Filtration, Swimming Pool, Spa Equipment and Milking Machines.

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We’ll cover the cost within the current budgeted allocations for new spending and stay on track to reach surplus by 2014/15 that’s important to us.

Our policy is bold, but I have been overwhelmed by the support it’s received.

Serving the farming community for over thirty five years - from the Coromandel Peninsula to Northern Tauranga and across the Hauraki Plains.

For more information please contact us on

The policy will cost the Crown between $60 to $90 million dollars; a drop in the bucket when you consider that 1.7 million Kiwi households will benefit by over half a billion dollars a year that they will spend in our economy.

ON CALL 24/7

Ever-changing employment law on the move again

Viewpoint | Legal

Does your insurance keep you in the game?

How to manage a poor performing employee John Shingleton is a partner and general manager at Malley & Co Lawyers, specialising in management, human resources and employment law. Visit www.malley.co.nz

Michael McKay is a lawyer with Malley & Co and has experience in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. He has acted in disputes for and against building inspectors, franchisees and shareholders and is acting for several insured in relation to issues arising from the Canterbury earthquakes.

A leading English insurance expert says the point of business interruption (BI) insurance is to ensure a business promptly returns to comparative health and is “still in the game” after an insured event.

Some businesses promptly adjusted their BI policy after the February 2011 earthquake.

However, we are still seeing businesses question whether their policy strikes the correct balance between covering gross profit lost as result of an insured event (as defined in their policy) and covering the cost of replacing damaged stock and premises.

Cover comes at a cost and when lodging a claim under a BI policy for a reduction in gross profit, businesses may face some issues about what caused the loss.

Insurance for reduction in gross profit Many BI policies insure for a reduction in gross profit arising from damage to insured property. Some BI policies have an extension that covers loss of gross profit arising from damage to property, other than that of the insured business.

Nearly all BI policies however, contain an “adjustments” or “other circumstances” clause, which tries to refine which types of loss trigger recovery of reduced gross profit.

Insurance is about indemnifying an insured for the losses specified in the policy and, in this sense, other circumstances clauses are not objectionable. The clauses are often worded differently between policies, but have a common purpose: to distinguish a reduction in gross profit that would not have occurred but for damage to the insured property (covered) from reductions that are likely to have occurred even if the property had not been damaged (not covered).

For example, many Canterbury businesses experienced a reduction in gross profit after the earthquakes, as did businesses in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. If the reduction in gross profit occurred because of damage to the businesses’ property, it was likely to be covered. If however, the loss was due to fewer potential customers

visiting the affected area after the relevant event, it would be excluded under another circumstances clause.

This has unfortunately been described as the “depopulation” effect, but the principle has broader application. Causation might be questioned, for example, if a key person had left the business shortly before the February 2011 earthquake.

Lessons Predicting the future is necessarily uncertain. If part of a claim has been rejected because it was caused by an uninsured event, there should be evidence to support the claimed causation.

The other circumstances clause may not prove a significant obstacle to promptly resolving a BI claim for businesses with several outlets, as they can compare the performance of a similar store in another location with the damaged outlet. The Canterbury earthquakes did illustrate however, that in other cases determining the cause(s) for a reduction in gross profit can be difficult and time consuming.

Is there a way forward?

We understand that, for an additional premium, many BI policies in Australia could include a “loss of attraction” extension. The extension is rare in New Zealand, but we encourage businesses to consider whether the additional premium is worth the peace of mind.

A business ought to review its circumstances and determine, with the guidance of an insurance broker, what type of cover is appropriate and affordable. We know some businesses have reduced the sum insured under the gross profit section of their BI policy or abandoned that part of the insurance altogether because of the causation issues.

They say they have redeployed the premium to increase the sum insured for stock and other operating assets. The value of operating assets is not without its issues, but for those businesses replacing those assets is particularly important to trading again.

What will your business need to still be in the game?

Managing poor performance by an employee can be fraught with difficulty and there is a considerable process employers need to follow. Ideally, all new employees should be properly employed under a 90-day trial period.

However, there are circumstances when an employer discovers they have hired a poor performer, but did not have the employee on a 90-day trial period. That employer might instead have hired the employee on a probationary period. These are usually for up to three months.

It is important not to confuse a probationary period with a 90-day trial period. They are two very different contractual arrangements.

Similarly, the employer might have a specific poor performance management clause in the employment agreement.

How to manage poor performance when there is no specific contractual clause • It is essential that the employee is clear as to what is expected of them at the outset of employment. Documenting clear and precise standards or key performance indicators is a must • The employer must have evidence of the poor performance. Again, documentation is critical • If the employer is concerned about the poor performance, then the employer must treat the employee in good faith • Practically, the employer should outline the concerns in writing and first invite the employee to attend a meeting, with a support person or legal representative, to discuss the concerns. All the concerns and supporting evidence must be disclosed in the letter • The first meeting is to provide the employee with an opportunity to discuss the concerns and express their point of view on the matters that have been raised.

At the end of the meeting, the employer should review what has been said and decide whether to continue managing the perceived lack of performance

• It may be that the process need not progress any further. But, if the concerns are still alive, then the employer should put the employee on a performance management plan.

A performance management plan The proposed plan should be circulated to the employee for comment first before a second meeting is held.

The plan should outline specific tangible targets and periodic reviews. At those reviews it is important to give the employee documented feedback.

Ideally, the plan would include any assistance the employer considers reasonable for the employee to reach the required targets.

The letter also needs to outline the potential outcomes of the plan. If they do not reach the agreed outcomes within the specified timeframe, a first warning and an extension to the plan will be put in place.

If extending the plan, the employer should further notify the employee that if at the end of the extended period the employee does not reach the required standard, a disciplinary meeting may be held which, depending on the gravity of the poor performance, may conclude with a final written warning or dismissal.

If the employer has reached the stage where a final written warning or dismissal is fairly warranted, then the employer is entering into the area of discipline. Section 103A of the Employment Relations Act 2000 imposes on the employer a duty to act fairly and reasonably. The good faith obligations still remain.

The Employment Relations Authority makes clear that employers must give employee all fair and reasonable opportunities to reach the required standard. It is also crucial that the standard that is required is also fair and reasonable. If it is found that the standard is unachievable, then that could give rise to a legitimate personal grievance against the employer.

To avoid getting into this, properly hire new employees under a 90-day trial period. If a new employee is a poor performer, then they can be let go quickly without fuss.

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- CMC, Created by Eva Scherer www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 7

Viewpoints | HR/Training

Local or imported talent what is your position?

Developing great leaders through experience

David Law is director of David Law & Associates (NZ) Ltd specialising in general HR management, employment relations and recruitment.

Visit www.davidlaw.co.nz

Has the New Zealand economic climate changed everything? Are you receiving more job applications from local candidates than you did say two to three years ago? Are they the quality applicants that you’ve been searching for, or are they what you’ve been receiving in the past?

Recruiters are seeing wholesale changes in the job market around the world and within New Zealand.

New Zealand gained 4,300 migrants in the year to October 2012, 3,200 fewer than in the previous 12 months. Statistics NZ figures show 47,800 Kiwis crossed the Tasman to live in the year to October. In the same period 13,200 moved from Australia to here.

Approximately two thirds were New Zealanders returning home. Compared to December 1979, NZ lost 333,400 more residents to Australia than it gained. Most of the population growth since then occurred above the age of 40, while most migration occurred below that age.

Net migration loss of New Zealanders overseas, in particular to Australia, is increasing. New Zealand employers looking to the future should be mindful of this trend and the government taking a degree of responsibility by proactively reviewing possible tax relief or other employment related incentives.

forced to reduce their level of overheads. One method has been to employ candidates who are resident in, or have a legal right to work in New Zealand.

“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” - Aristotle

From personal observation, by doing this, it is not solving the talent retention problem but just moving the talent from one organisation to another. “Robbing Peter to pay Paul” as the saying goes.

Aristotle’s quote is a contradiction that holds an undeniable truth. To me the emphasis of the first part of the quote, “For the things we have to learn before we can do them,” is to set the scene of a situation where the stakes are at their highest, where we can’t afford to fail.

This not only creates a hard to fill vacancy for one employer, but is also a cause for inflating salaries. As people change jobs it inevitably results in a salary increase, hence creating a salary spiral.

This is also weighted by the desire of many Kiwi employers to hire only those with ‘relevant NZ work experience,’ a commonly used phrase when choosing not to employ foreign labour. If this is essential criteria for the role then recruiting New Zealand residents makes logical sense, but it should not outweigh other core competencies when employing the best person for the job.

After all, isn’t this the desired outcome, or are you settling for second best?

The consensus forecasts (from 11 organisations) published by the NZIER in March 2012 suggested a degree of relative health in the economy moving forward in a positive manner on a number of key economic indicators. None of the forecasts suggested anything other than our economic management being competent, but constrained by the health of our export markets.

Incentives include reducing or removing fringe Take time to reflect on NZ’s strengthening position internationally and the impact benefit tax and introducing more creative tax this has on current and future employment incentives, including reviewing the level of in your business, then review your retention student loan interest rates. The government and recruitment processes? Consider a greater cannot continue expecting NZ employers emphasis be placed on retention and less (especially SMEs) to absorb additional on recruitment. employment costs and create jobs.

Migration loss costs the country as a whole, not only financially, but with the stream of exiting professional talent that the country simply cannot afford to lose.

Qualified, skilled international talent is rapidly drying up combined with our own migration loss. We have employers facing ongoing increases and reduced cash flow who are

Tony Naidu is the founder and president of Biz-LX, delivering online learning experiences across the business curriculum for both academic and corporate use. Visit www.biz-lx.com

However, should you need to recruit, always do so with a quality candidate in mind. Do not ignore your current high performers, as they are your best investment and. Do not dismiss overseas talent as a preferred option.

Better retention policies and sound recruitment strategies will reduce costs and will increase profits.

In a business context this could be a critical negotiation to ensure the survival of your company.

Then comes what appears to be a contradiction, “we learn by doing them.” In other words, we learn by experience, we learn by experimenting and sometimes we learn by failing.

So how do we get this unique opportunity to “learn before we do”? How do we get experience - especially when the stakes are so high?

Think about your own company - would you be comfortable throwing in an inexperienced potential leader into a situation where your company couldn’t afford failure? In the real world, where you fight for survival, it is hard to find these learning opportunities.

At Auckland University, completing my undergraduate business degree, I first experienced an online business simulation.

The engagement this experience created was different to any other learning I had experienced at school or university before.

This virtual experience allowed students to make business decisions with “real” simulated consequences. Seeing for myself how this could impact students, I joined the New Zealand startup company that had developed the simulation. It is still my passion to give future leaders, both students and executives, an opportunity to gain experience without having to take unnecessary risks.

For far too long the Socratic learning method had remained virtually unchallenged. This method is where the teacher presents material to the student and the student

goes through a largely intellectual activity of absorbing the material.

Simulations, or games, give current and future leaders an opportunity to experience decision making in a virtual environment, where they can learn and develop confidence without damaging consequences.

Although simulations were first developed for business in the 1950s, it wasn’t until the late 1990s, when the internet became widespread and simulations became web based, that business simulations really flourished.

Attend any academic conference around the world and you will find numerous presentations in support of the idea that people learn best by doing. The leading accreditation body for business schools, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), states that “passive learning is ineffective” and advises faculty to “adopt active learning methodologies”.

By using simulations they have an opportunity to face real life situations, sink their teeth into the analysis, and then see the results of their decisions.

Leaders develop through experience. Lectures alone do not give leaders the insight they need to have when faced with uncertainty.

Participation in simulated situations, where there is no obvious “right” answer and where there are consequences for their decisions, both in economic terms and from stakeholders, gives leaders an opportunity to reflect on the experience.

Through this process of experience and reflection, comes real learning.

Simulations can’t replicate every situation, but they do offer the ability to develop the leadership tool kit required for facing real life uncertainty.

The world needs us to give future leaders a chance to learn through necessary and at times tough lessons. These lessons need to take place in a safe environment, before they are sitting across a boardroom table, trying to negotiate a deal that their company’s future depends on.

ACC RULE CHANGE – SAVE 10% ON YOUR LEVIES FOR 3 YEARS AS OF 1 APRIL 2013 Workplace Safety Discounts (WSD)

WSD Module

How it Works

Cost

An ACC initiative that gives you 10% discount on your workers levy per year for 3 years. To get the discounts you have to show you have the following four things in place: Hazards / Incidents & Accidents / Staff Training (including you) / Emergency Management

The WSD module has been specifically designed to get the 10% discount and get your health and safety up to a proper standard as determined by ACC.

1 2 3 4 5

$149 +gst self employed $399 +gst employers

Your business will need to have 10 staff or less or have payroll under $537,000 per year to be eligible.

8 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

4 reasons why our programme works 1. Specifically designed for the WSD 2. ACC & OSH Compliant 3. Complete at your time 4. Tailored to your business

Register online at www.manageacc.info Work through the modules Complete the short application form Print, sign and send to us for checking We send to and liaise with ACC

The modules will take between 1 – 4 hours all up to complete depending on your knowledge. Once completed you will also have a health & safety system in place.

Enquiries Ph Head Office. 07 577 1493 Email. wsd@manageacc.info

www.manageacc.info/wsd

Viewpoints | Management/Tactics

Effective delegation it's a win-win Kevin Vincent is a director of business improvement consultants Vincent and Nugent Limited Visit www.vincentnugent.co.nz

Wikipedia states that “Delegation (or deputation) is the assignment of authority and responsibility to another person (normally from a manager to a subordinate) to carry out specific activities. However, the person who delegated the work remains accountable for the outcome of the delegated work. Delegation empowers a subordinate to make decisions, i.e. it is a shift of decision-making authority from one organisational level to a lower one.

“Delegation, if properly done, is not abdication. The opposite of effective delegation is micromanagement, where a manager provides too much input, direction, and review of delegated work. In general, delegation is good and can save money and time, help in building skills and motivate people. Poor delegation, on the other hand, might cause frustration and confusion to all the involved parties.”

If done correctly delegation is a win-win process. The person delegating wins, the delegate wins and the result will also be a win. Delegation is a skill we all should learn and embrace.

With good delegation understanding we can choose to delegate a task so that you will free up time to perform other tasks. We can also assist other people to become familiar with various tasks.

Effective delegation can make your team stronger, more resilient, more focused, motivated and promote improved communication and transparency.

Benefits of effective delegation include having more time and energy to focus on other perhaps more important tasks, you will reduce time spent worrying on prioritising your time, you will encourage colleagues to grow their competencies thereby making them more confident in their contributions and sense of value, you will create a “team” environment, you demonstrate

professionalism and effectiveness and build a culture of trust and collaboration.

And there is of course a downside if not done correctly. You will create negative morale, an untrusting environment and bad feelings.

If the delegation is not for the benefit of the delegate or the company, then it is probable that it is simply passing off work that should have been completed by the delegator.

Don’t be the person who delegates all the stuff you don’t choose to do. This is purely and simply laziness.

Delegate the interesting bits where the delegate can learn and grow and when they do achieve the task make sure you praise them give them the credit they deserve.

Effective delegation is about obtaining positive outcomes and not dumping.

Be encouraged to consider more delegation.

It will help your business by building up others skills and knowledge to complete various tasks.

I am sure you will find the tasks will be still be completed and just possibly have even better outcomes than you imagined.

Choose people you know would appreciate the opportunities, who want to grow and trust them to do the task. Ensure they are well briefed – that they know the expected outcomes and have review sessions with them.

Learning to delegate is a skill which is critically important to developing and maintaining strong companies. Like many other management skills, delegating is a process which involves setting goals, careful planning, and follow-up.

There is no box to think outside of Colin Clapp is the ‘chief thinking officer’ at Accountable Business Progress. His team helps to turn good businesses into great companies. www.accountable.co.nz

The traditional attitude towards business is to ‘think outside the box’ – to brainstorm without constraint in the hopes that you will find a new way of doing things. However, there really isn’t a box to think outside of.

That’s right! There is no box. And even if there was one, every person and company’s box is different. All our thinking is shaped by our beliefs, preconceptions, values and knowledge – which is different for every individual and business. In other words, we’ll always be thinking differently.

You might be attempting to look outside the box for new ideas, creativity or innovative approaches to your business problems, but what is wrong inside the box? You don’t need to think outside the box, but harness the creativity within it.

As we all think so differently, it is more efficient to focus on what we already know and the ideas we cultivate from this. By ensuring a systematic process is applied to turning great ideas into actions, your business and team can constantly grow and learn from the collective ideas and actions. Ultimately, everybody’s minds (boxes) will grow bigger.

In Tactics; The Art and Science of Success, the man who first termed ‘lateral thinking’, Edward de Bono, talked to 50 men and women who have been outstandingly successful in their fields. Among a variety of styles, he summarised that “creativity and the ability to see things differently and to think new thoughts” were a common trait that applied to many of these people.

Delegating means sharing the workload, but it also means sharing the fun and satisfaction that come from accomplishing something.

Without new thoughts and ideas you wouldn’t be surrounded by any physical object or service you are currently using. Everything you can see and touch started as an idea in someone’s head. Invariably someone saw a problem, got an idea how to solve it, and now you and I pay for the solution.

Remember to follow up during the process with regular meetings, mentoring and coaching. When the task is accomplished – congratulate them and credit them for the good work achieved.

The difference between those ideas and the ones you may still be carrying around in your head is that they were acted upon. Ideas are everywhere and your's (or your employee's) could be as valuable as the next person's – if

To do it well we need to change the way we think about asking other people to participate.

you act on it. What potential goldmine is buried in your business?

Here are a few proven tips to help you breathe some life into your ideas with some thanks going to David Schwartz and his book The Magic of Thinking Big. Don’t let ideas escape Ideas die very quickly if they are not committed to paper. Your memory is a weak slave when it comes to preserving and nurturing brand new ideas. So first things first, capture your ideas on paper (or some suitable app) and file them for safekeeping.

It’s also important to ensure these ideas are kept at the forefront of your mind. If you let a great idea sit at the back of your draw you may be reaching out for it when it’s too late. People come up with great ideas every day – you want to be the individual that did something with those ideas, rather than forgetting about them.

Fertilise your ideas Research the field. Read up as much as you can. Talk to people. Cultivate your ideas into something bigger. The collective creativity and knowledge of your team and business can help develop an idea from something good, to something great.

Get into action People often bury ideas because they are afraid to act on them. There is no point waiting until conditions are perfect before you act. Take action with the knowledge that there will always be future obstacles and difficulties and you can meet these problems as they arise. Thinking in terms of now gets things accomplished, whilst thinking in terms of someday or sometime usually means failure.

It’s time to stop looking outside the box. That was just a phrase dreamed up by someone that stuck. Your box will never expand to the place you’re thinking outside of until you learn to thrive within it

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 9

Viewpoints | Online

News | Events Diary

Getting your head in the cloud Steve Lowery is the director of myOffice – specialists in construction sector business support, focussing on accounts and business systems.

Visit www.myoffice.co.nz

Working in the cloud creates a certain magic and simplicity in your business. It gives you instant, anywhere and real time information that allows you to get on with the ‘money making’.

Putting your accounts in the cloud is the exact opposite of walking around with your head in the clouds. Already more than 135,000 businesses are actively using Xero and more than 150 software companies are linking their software applications to Xero. What this means is you have the ability to use Xero to manage pretty much any part of your business.

And by moving many of your business systems into the cloud, the sky is the limit.

You have instant access to everything happening in your company, from any device, anytime, anywhere in the world.

Xero, the world’s easiest accounting software, is in a league of its own when it comes to saving time and giving you instant snap shot of your financials.

You only pay for what you need and there are companies like us that will get you set up, manage the running of and support your accountant in ensuring Xero is adding value to everything you do. Then as your business grows and changes, you can add in additional services to increase your productivity.

So what is cloud computing? Many have asked the question, it’s just the internet isn’t it? No. You make use of the internet to connect your device (that could be your computer, tablet, phone or laptop) to the cloud. Simply put – the internet is the connection to where your data is stored.

Like many others starting to consider the cloud as a viable business option, you want to know if your information is safe. Yes it is. In fact, it’s safer than on your computer at your office. Your computer can be stolen, damaged or corrupted quite easily, in the cloud it is hosted (looked after) by companies that spend millions on systems and experts to protect your data - just like all your banking data you access online.

10 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

What the cloud can do for you Remote access on any device Going ‘to the cloud’ gives you mobility.

Anywhere, anytime, on any device… it’s available everywhere and to other members of your team.

Access to real time info Make decisions fast when you are out in the field, away from the office or on a job, knowing you have the right information.

Regular financial reporting helps you to prepare for the future, whether it is increased stock levels, declining sales trends, increasing costs, or tax planning.

Banking and billing with ease In Xero you create and then send your invoices to your customers – it’s all tracked and you will always know who has and hasn’t paid and what is owed.

Better still, when you spend money, your bank statements feed directly into Xero, eliminating the need for manual input which results in a massive time savings.

Delegating work Information can be shared between multiple users and computers and all viewed at the same time, so with everything in one place, delegating and tracking information is simple and seamless.

Wide range of solutions There are 150-odd companies that plug into Xero, meaning there is nothing you do that will not work seamlessly as you grow, expand and introduce new systems. There are online payroll systems, automatic data entry and job-management programs that can effortlessly track and process quotes, jobs, stock, back cost and so much more – feeding information straight into your Xero. Magic!

Your data is always safe If the worst happens your information is always safe. After a disaster and as we saw in Christchurch, you don’t have to wait to get access back to a building or dig a server out of the rubble – hook into the internet and you won’t have lost any of your account information.

Online cloud technology can save you and your business hundreds of hours, resulting in massive productivity improvements!

EVENTS DIARY

What’s happening on the business and entertainment front

TUESDAY, JULY 9 Introduction to Business Seminar – Hamilton Starting a business? Well this free seminar is an ideal place to learn about working smarter with online services, business structures, income tax, expenses you can claim, GST and more.

To book, go to: www.business.govt.nz

FRIDAY, JULY 19 - 21 Daily Post Home and Leisure Show – Rotorua Going into its fifth year, the Home and Leisure show boosts some 200 stands with a new floor plan and exhibitors the show’s not seen before. Come and get inspired, check out the huge range of quality products such as spas, furniture, clothing, cars, heating solutions, outdoor equipment and more.

For tickets, go to: www.eventfinder.co.nz

FRIDAY, JULY 26 - 28 Manawatu Ideal Home Show – Palmerston North The Manawatu Ideal Home Show is one of the largest home shows in NZ. Held over three days, the Ideal Home Show brings together the very best in products and services for the home, including kitchens, flooring, appliances, heating, new building and more.

For more information, go to: www.eventfinder.co.nz

SATURDAY, JULY 27 Meet Chelsea Winter – Hamilton Come meet Master Chef 2012 winner Chelsea Winter. Watch her cook, get her book signed and ask her everything you have wanted to know about Master Chef and what she is doing now.

For tickets, go to: www.eventfinder.co.nz

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1 So You Think You Give Great Service?

– Hamilton Each and every one of us can tell stories about poor customer service. Since 100 percent of your profits come from customers, keeping them coming back is a vital. This workshop will get you thinking critically

about your business and you will leave with plans to look at how well you are performing.

For more information, go to: www.bizhub.anz.co.nz

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3 – 17 Burgen Tough Guy and Gal Challenge – Rotorua Located at Lakes Ranch, tackle a course with spectacular scenery for the ultimate experience. It includes water trails, net climb, crawl under barb wire obstacles, swamp crossings, native bush trail, wobbly water bridge, open paddock running, hurdles, wire rope bridge and tunnels.

For more information, go to: www. eventfinder.co.nz

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6 Employers’ Workshop - Taupo This workshop is a hands-on session where you learn how to complete a mock monthly wage summary for two employees, calculate PAYE and other deductions and file your employer monthly returns online. It is ideal for sole traders, partnerships and other small businesses.

To book, go to: www.business.govt.nz

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6 – 7 November Management and Leadership Workshop – Palmerston North Becoming a manager is hard enough and making the transition from buddy to boss comes with its own set of unique challenges.

Learn how to run a successful team and how to make the transition from buddy to boss.

A course designed to help a wide range of people from those in senior leadership to first time supervisors.

For more information, go to: www.biztrainers.co.nz

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Stan Walker World Tour of New Zealand – Rotorua Stan Walker is playing 23 shows across the country through September and October. One of the country’s most popular artists, Stan has collected five New Zealand Music Awards along the way.

To buy tickets, go to: www.eventfinder.co.nz

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News | Ideas

Brainstorming

By Kevin Vincent

Wikipedia states “brainstorming” is a technique used to gather a large quantity of ideas, with the ideas generated geared towards solving a specific problem.

Highly efficient, simply structured brainstorming by staff is essential for floating good ideas, like cream, to the top. Listening to each others’ ideas fuels rapid development of innovative solutions as well as building team trust, awareness and motivation.

Brainstorming is one of the creativity tools that elicits answers when they cannot be easily identified or found. It is a group activity where your staff are led by a facilitator and if the facilitator does a good job, success and innovation are most likely to be achieved.

Brainstorming is a powerful tool used by teams and businesses around the world. Many business teachers and seminar leaders are teaching using brainstorming techniques.

The following are some activities that either trainers or teachers can use to help lead their participants in more productive brainstorming sessions.

It is a tool for generating ideas. It is an activity in which all members of a group (whether it be a work team, classroom, committee, etc.) contribute to a list of problems to be solved or solutions to a problem. Brainstorming helps get a lot of ideas into discussion in a short amount of time. Brainstorming may look unstructured, but to be effective, there should be some ground rules.

To deliver an effective brainstorming session, rather than running laissez-faire sessions on the one hand, or heavily scripted meetings on the other, build the following 'dos' and 'don’ts' into an otherwise no-holdsbarred process.

Brainstorming dos • Start a brainstorming session with a short written question narrowly defining the problem to be worked on. In formulating this question don’t assume too much about how the problem is going to be solved • On a large sign in the brainstorming room post a rule prohibiting 'critiquing and debating' during brainstorming, or a bell that can be rung when critiquing begins. This allows a way to gently remind participants to reward rather than discourage each others’ thinking • Have only one conversation at a time. To participate in a particular conversation, make a contribution by building on the ideas that others have set forth. After one conversation is finished, you can start a new topic or idea • Write out ideas and put a sequential number next to each. Numbering helps participants understand how productively their brainstorming is going and helps people keep track when jumping back and forth between ideas • The brainstorming session facilitators should sometimes encourage additional comments. This will focus the group on issues that are particularly interesting to the group and at other times they should suggest switching to a new idea, as energy and momentum about particular issues ebbs and flows

• Cover as much of the walls of the room as possible with writable surfaces like paper or whiteboards and have people write down major ideas. Ensure there is plenty of room and wall space available • Later in the session, returning to the particular spots in the room where ideas were written as they were discussed will provide a 'visual memory' that will help participants remember what was discussed • Consider warm-up exercises before brainstorming, particularly if participants don’t know each other, haven’t brainstormed much, or are under a lot of pressure. Simple 'pass-it-on' word games or a homework assignment to get hands-on experience with products related to the brainstorming topic, are two popular warm-ups. The quantity and perceived quality of ideas improves when participants do warm-ups first • Use plenty of 'mind-mapping' and diagrams, and don’t be afraid to act-out or build crude mock-ups of what you are talking about on the spot to make the concepts more tangible and exciting for participants

• In addition to the ideas themselves, brainstorming is valuable because everyone gets a chance to be heard and acknowledged by the group.

Brainstorming don’ts • Don’t let the boss speak first • Don’t insist that everyone take a turn • Don’t limit the discussion to the opinions of “experts” on any subject • Don’t brainstorm only during offsite retreats effective brainstorming should become natural at work • Don’t outlaw silly ideas or penalise the people who bring them up • Don’t try to write everything down.

Keep in mind that brainstorming is only the first third of a problem solving process. It generates the ideas.

It is now up to the participants and team leader to organise the ideas and determine what to do with each one.

What successful people do

By Stephen Lynch

What are the reasons that some people (and companies) reach their goals, while others never seem to fulfill their potential?

Playing to your natural strengths and talents is one of the major keys to success – this is doing the things that come naturally and easily to you – the things that you really enjoy and find fulfilling.

In addition, successful people achieve their goals not only because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.

Here is our take on what successful people (and companies) really do: Be specific When you set a goal, make it obvious exactly what you want to achieve and by when. Just expressing an outcome (say, sell 100 widgets this quarter) is not as powerful as expressing your goal as a specific, tangible project that will achieve the desired outcome when successfully implemented.

12 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Champagne test Goals and projects should be expressed in a way that it is obvious what the finish line is that you intend to hit by the due date. For long term projects – what is the desired milestone that you want to reach by the end of this quarter? Is it clear to everyone at which point they can pop the champagne cork this quarter to celebrate achieving that specific milestone?

Balance optimism with realism Set yourself up to succeed. Set realistic goals and due dates that take into account that you will also need deal with any fires that come up along the way - yet still achieve your milestones. Don’t underestimate the difficulties and challenges you will face along the way. Your colleagues are counting on you. Only make promises you know you will be able to keep.

Make time for strategic execution “Business as usual” must keep happening in the meantime. You still need to create

opportunities, make sales, deliver products and services and collect money – the stuff you do every day to pay the bills. But then you also need to make time (I suggest dedicating half a day every week) to take specific meaningful actions that will move your strategic priorities forward.

Knife and fork it What one action can you complete by the end of the week that is going to move your progress forward another step? Be specific. It needs to be a binary (yes/no) action that is within your control that you can check off and be held accountable for saying, “yes, I completed that action this week”.

Measure progress You must track exactly how far you have come and know exactly how far you have left to go. Measure your progress every week. Are you on schedule or do you need help? Are you behind schedule and in danger of missing your due date? Be honest and confront the brutal facts. Don’t wait until

the near the due date to signal that you are running behind.

Man up!

Show that you have the grit to do what it takes, to overcome the obstacles and get it done. The more you exercise your courage muscle, the stronger it becomes. There are things we have to do that we don’t particularly enjoy doing in order to achieve success – but you have to 'eat your veggies' before you get to have any dessert.

Celebrate achievement You do pop the cork when projects are implemented or goals are reached don’t you? Make sure you praise and appropriately recognise achievement. Put away 'the whip' and enjoy those moments of success.

Stephen Lynch is the chief operating officer of Global Operations at RESULTS.com.

Information kindly provided by RESULTS. com: www.results.com

News | Q&A

Inside innovation

By Melinda Collins

Not only is Ian Taylor the founder of one of New Zealand’s most innovative multimedia companies, but he just happened to revolutionise the way the world watches sport with the development of real time 3D graphics for the America’s Cup. But that’s not the only reason we wanted to talk innovation with him.

After 20 years with TVNZ, Ian went on to establish three successful technology businesses in Dunedin; multimedia company Taylormade Media, computer animation company Animation Research Ltd (ARL), and specialist online booking company BookIt. He shot to fame in the computing world when ARL provided revolutionary real time 3D sports graphics at the 1992 America’s Cup. The company has gone on to expand this technology into a range of global sports, including golf, cricket, tennis and Formula One. Besides sports, the company has contributed computer animation to television shows both within New Zealand and overseas including: Kiwi documentary series Human Potential, the BBC’s Inventions That Changed the World, and National Geographic’s Mega Disasters.

A lot of Kiwis think we are tucked away in the corner of the South Pacific, so we can’t compete on an international stage, what do you say to this?

We should look on it as a strength. Sir Ernest Rutherford is quoted as saying “We didn’t have the money – so we had to think.” That could just as easily be “We are tucked away in the corner of the South Pacific – so we have to think.” We can, and do, provide a special brand of thinking that is valued around the world.

everything we do – not just technology. We are wrong to think that technology is the only place that innovation takes place.

You’ve said in New Zealand people talk the talk about ingenuity and innovation, but nobody walks the walk, tell us about that?

The government has recently announced changes to its procurement process. That’s the talk. We will know that they are walking the walk when more small, innovative New Zealand companies start consistently winning government contracts.

So the notion of us becoming a knowledge economy is really just a pipe dream?

No, but I think we need to understand that the knowledge economy isn’t new.

Knowledge has always been at the core of successful economies. It was knowledge that created the first refrigerated shipping. We are just dealing with a new level of knowledge and a new way of delivering it. I have every confidence that if we don’t take full advantage of that, our kids will.

Ian Taylor

I have never done anything that I didn’t feel excited and passionate about. Even when things have turned bad, like our excursion into Indian cricket, I had no regrets. We achieved everything we set out to achieve. We just happened to get shafted on the way.

How much of an issue is tall poppy syndrome in this country?

I think it is overrated. Personally I find Kiwis are genuinely proud of what we have done as a little company and it gives me great comfort to know that they care.

Your animation has been a huge hit in the sporting world - where else do you see its potential?

We do sport because we love it. But we also build air traffic control simulators, do city

visualisation and planning, we work for one of the largest mining companies in the world visualising natural catastrophe data, we built the training simulator for one of the world’s leading F1 Race teams. There are lots of other things we do – but again, the motivation is doing things we like.

What do you see in the future for digital technology?

It’s unlimited. I was brought up in a house without electricity. I thought turning the light on with a flick of a switch was amazing. I have given up being surprised by the changes technology has brought to our lives. The big challenge is making sure that technology serves us, not the other way around.

How big an issue is the lack of start-up funding in terms of turning bright ideas into a business reality in New Zealand?

That’s not really something I can comment on. I have always worried about taking other people’s money to chase my personal dreams.

Perhaps one day I will have an idea that is strong enough to warrant that investment from strangers.

Why is technological innovation so important?

You’ve taken some big risks in business, how important is risk taking to success?

I like the description of innovation as “doing something better today than we did it yesterday.” In that context it applies to

That’s interesting because I don’t ever think in terms of risk. I have never done a risk assessment on anything I have done. Equally,

More than 400 participants attended the EPIC NZ 2013 conference on May 24 at the Langham Hotel Auckland. The conference was aimed at connecting New Zealand’s ethnic and mainstream small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) to better harness trade opportunities.

In her welcome speech the Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Judith Collins highlighted the advantages of having a culturally varied business landscape in New Zealand to help overcome the country’s isolation from major markets.

to learning, networking and making connections.

“EPIC NZ 2013 was, in a word, inspirational.

It was a triumph in demonstrating the business imperative of valuing our differences and leveraging our diversity to build a preferred future.”

– Richard Motet, principal consultant, Business Psychology Limited

Highlights of the conference included an inspirational keynote speech from Dr Privahini Bradoo, CEO of e-waste company Blue Oak and founding CEO of Spark, who “We have people with established networks was recently named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. and business connections in almost every country of the world, many who are Other prominent speakers at EPIC NZ 2013 willing to set up meetings and establish included Tenby Powell, founder of the strongholds for other New Zealand NZ SME Business Network, Christopher businesses to expand,” Collins says.

Luxon, CEO of Air New Zealand and Tim Feedback indicated EPIC NZ 2013 provided Baxter, CEO for DHL Express New Zealand and Pacific Islands. great value for participants in regards

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In 1992, in a world first, America’s Cup boats were tracked in real time off the coast of San Diego using Taylor’s software and it has been an essential component of every America’s Cup since. In 2000 he developed another world first – real 3D graphics of a sporting event, delivered to the world online. Photo by Sergio Dionisio www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 13

News | Business Tips

The personality profiles of top salespeople

By Stephen Lynch

Curious

The evidence suggests that the personalities of truly great salespeople play a critical role in determining their success.

Top salespeople have a hunger for knowledge and information. They learn as much as they can about their industry and their customers. They ask their customers difficult and uncomfortable questions in order peel back the layers and get to the heart of the matter. Top salespeople want to know as soon as possible if the customer is willing to buy their solution, and what they need to do to win their business.

Modest Surprisingly, the most successful salespeople do not conform to the fast talking, pushy salesperson stereotype. These egotistical salespeople tend to alienate far more customers than they win over. Rather than making themselves the rock star, the top salespeople positioned their colleagues in the company as being the rock stars, and use their colleagues to help them win the sale.

Conscientious Top salespeople take their responsibilities seriously. They can be relied on to keep their promises and follow up when they say they are going to. However, this does not mean that they run after the customer’s every demand. Instead, they take control of the relationship and lead the customer by the hand though the sales process.

Friendly, but not overly friendly Achievement-oriented Top salespeople are fixated on achieving their goals and measure their success by the sales numbers and how they compare to their peers. They figure out what they need to do to make sales, and they go out and get it done.

Courageous Top salespeople are not self-conscious. They do not get embarrassed easily. They are willing to risk rejection, and are even prepared to rankle customers in the sales

process. They aggressively believe in what they do and will boldly do what it takes to get the job done.

Thick skinned A high percentage of top sales people come from sporting backgrounds where they are used to tough competition, dealing with disappointments, bouncing back from losses and experiencing the thrill of winning. If they get knocked down, they don’t stay down for long.

Very friendly salespeople can build good relationships with prospects, but often have difficulty asking for the sale. Top salespeople keep it professional and establish a position of authority and dominance where they are able offer good advice and recommendations to the customer, and the customer willingly acts on those recommendations.

Do your salespeople have what it takes?

Stephen Lynch is the chief operating officer of Global Operations at RESULTS.com.

Information kindly provided by RESULTS.com: www.results.com

&

Asked answered Kevin Vincent

Business consultant Kevin Vincent answers a couple of questions about workplace issues and how to deal with them.

Dear Kevin, our company talks a lot about ethics, can you please advise how this relates to business?

behaviours that set an example to our colleagues and all those we relate in our work and in our communities.

Dear Kevin, I am a small business owner with one central office in a main city of New Zealand and I want to consider decentralisation as a way to improve performance and profitability.

What advice do you have for me as I consider this?

For me, ethics are how we act to each other; being good, trustworthy, reliable, fair and empathetic.

I don’t know of any sets of rules on business ethics, but I am aware of how important they have become in our life.

Ethics are generally subjective and mostly about morality.

Ethics in business and social responsibility are often linked as social responsibility and this is a significant aspect of the discipline of operating ethically.

Decentralisation was quite fashionable in the late 70s and has remained on agendas ever since.

I believe the intent with any decentralisation is to separate a business into smaller units capable of becoming profit centres.

A move to this will require some careful analysis. The analysis should consider foresight planning, forward objectives, company strengths and weakness, chances and risks along with a full analysis of projected cash flow.

14 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

In a 2009 article The Economist sites decentralisation as “The process of distributing power away from the centres of an organisation”. In doing this you need to carefully reflect on how much power should be decentralised, how much empowerment you will to your colleagues you will employ in your decentralised operations.

Tom Peters said in the mid 1990s that, after watching organisations thrive and then shrivel “Organisations is at the top of the list. To loosen the reins, to allow a thousand flowers to bloom and a hundred schools to contend, is the best way to sustain vigour in perilous times.”

Well planned and structured decentralisation will encourage innovation and entrepreneurship within your company and ultimately lead to improved profitability.

In his 2003 book Management – Tasks, Responsibilities and Practices, Peter Drucker said “The first responsibility of a professional was spelled out clearly, 2,500 years ago, in the Hippocratic oath of the Greek Physician: primum non nocere – ‘Above all, not knowingly to do harm’.”

I believe Drucker is saying clearly to us all that we have responsibilities to carefully reflect on our proposed actions, to contemplate our words and how we articulate those words and to ensure we personally uphold appropriate

I believe that just as health and safety is a responsibility for all staff members, so must be operating with ethics. It isn’t just the company owners, or the board of directors, or just the manager - it is every single individual who is responsible for our own actions.

For all stakeholders this means consideration must be given to how we interact with each other and embracing our rich diversity, not accepting credit for what may have been done by others, maintaining confidentiality and telling only the truth (my recipe for successful selling).

Finally being ethical at work or in your business is a continuum and must be part of our everyday lives. It is never OK for a business to be unethical.

News | Q&A

A word of advice

By Davina Richards

Say hello to the new face of GrabOne, CEO Vaughan Magnusson.

GrabOne founder Shane Bradley parted ways from his group buying website to follow another path of business - so in February Vaughan Magnusson graduated from CFO to CEO. A true leader listens and a true businessman evolves to constantly bring change. Vaughan does just that. He listens to his dedicated management team and the consumers to understand trends, develop initiatives and work towards goals to further improve the business.

Vaughan has an inspirational attitude; he is realistic, isn’t deterred by failure and believes in team participation - just some of the many driving forces behind any business success.

at GrabOne who can innovate and continue to take the business forward.

How much is the direction you want to take this company in determined by market forces and trends?

Markets and trends are dynamic and always changing, so it’s important for GrabOne to remain agile enough to change direction and tactics in keeping with the times. The key thing is to always listen to what your customers are telling you about your business and keep evolving to need their needs.

GrabOne is an example of a business that consumers didn’t know they even needed before we presented it to the market in 2010; we are now on track to sell $125 million worth of deals in 2013.

Are there any new developments in the pipeline?

He talks in his own words about gravitating the business towards continued success in a sustainable way, his personal experiences and offers his top tips of advice for SMEs.

Yes we are currently working on a new business opportunity which will complement our existing offerings really well and it will allow merchants to better manage their short term inventory.

You have been a key member of GrabOne since its launch, what will you be bringing to the table now you are chief executive of the company?

We intend to launch this around July so watch this space. Aside from that, we are constantly refining our model and improving on user experience through relevancy and personalisation of deals along with merchant value adds such as premium listings and data.

My philosophy is to take in views and ideas from across the company and get the whole team participating. It’s paramount to me and the business in the long term, that we foster the great entrepreneurial culture we have created at GrabOne and remain agile and adaptive. Moving fast and not being scared to try new things (and even fail sometimes) is the key to our continued success.

I need everyone at GrabOne to listen to what our customers, both members and merchants, are telling us about our business and find ways to deliver better value and outcomes to them. We also striving toward a business-wide focus on simplicity and quality in everything we do. Finally, working with the great management team we have in place to further grow the business in a profitable and sustainable way.

Where does Shane Bradley’s vision end and where does yours begin?

I believe there was always a shared vision for GrabOne so the transition of vision is more a shade of grey rather than being black or white. Shane is a gutsy entrepreneur who is passionate about creating businesses and then, as a business grows and matures, he tends to step back and let a skilled management team take over and run the business.

My central vision from here is to leverage off GrabOne’s core assets such as our merchant relationships (in their thousands), a 1.2 million strong membership database and our talented staff to develop new businesses and opportunities. We have plenty of talent

What aspirations do you have for the future of the company?

GrabOne is in a unique position to totally dominate the group buying market in New Zealand. I would like to see us with a 90 percent market share by year’s end.

We started this year at 75 percent and are currently at 80 percent so this goal is achievable.

“

We also have a very good handle on the DNA of the average SME operator, so we feel we have a good understanding of their needs. We really try and take a partnership approach with our SME merchants to make sure we are delivering value.

- CEO, VAUGHAN MAGNUSSON

We also have a very good handle on the DNA of the average SME operator, so we feel we have a good understanding of their needs.

We really try and take a partnership approach with our SME merchants to make sure we are delivering value.

What advice would you offer to SMEs starting out in business?

• Prepare properly from the outset and get your head around the fact that it won’t be a walk in the park • Conduct research on the market place, customer needs, competitor strengths and weaknesses and gaps in the marketplace

I also want to ensure that we grow our revenues faster than our costs, as simple as that sounds. Building on the trust we have • Back your convictions, but talk to people and with our members and merchants is crucial for take advice onboard our future.

• Never underestimate the importance of GrabOne will be a marketing powerhouse cash flow for SMEs, opening up distribution to SMEs • Aim to trade profitability early on, via its digital channel that merchants in particularly if you have finite their own right simply cannot replicate. At capital resources its core GrabOne is an alternative means of advertising to traditional mediums, with the • Assess where the risks are and set about added bonus of being transparent, success mitigating wherever possible based and cash flow positive.

• Focus on quality and always play fair in your The redemption process also drives customers dealings (reciprocity is alive and well) in-store so there is plenty of opportunity for • Look to build partnerships with customers merchants to up-sell customers and extract and suppliers, good business operates on real value. trust and confidence • You’ve got to hustle to make headway.

Do you have much to do with SME community?

Most of our merchants are SMEs, so yes we have a huge involvement in the community and know very well the challenges of running an SME in New Zealand.

”

• Entering crowded markets with poor margins and tough competition • Entering low growth industries • Lack of financial resources and poor financial management • Lack of knowledge of customer needs and not having a point of difference • Too much concentrated risk to a large customer or supplier • Operating in a silo • Lack of perseverance and resilience • Underestimating the importance of proper execution.

What have your life experiences taught you about business?

• Early bird gets the worm (first mover advantage is especially critical in digital enterprises) • Be bold and don’t be afraid to make mistakes, just learn from them as you go • Great businesses are hard to come by • Cash is king - you don’t miss the water until the well goes dry • Be a realist and remain objective • You need to build trust, so play fair in your dealings with customers/suppliers/staff • You need to think on your feet and change tact from time to time as conditions change

What are the common mistakes SMEs make • Strong brands are powerful and hard to defeat when starting a business?

• Ill conceived business models and lack of any research

• It requires a driven and talented team to be successful. www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 15

News | Cover Story

Turning points One can envisage the likely curriculum vitae of someone who has crafted a significant business with 20 outlets nationwide, a 45 percent market share, an annual turnover of $28 million and 170 employees.

It certainly wouldn’t be a high school dropout.

But then when life gives him lemons, Steve Lange has always been one to make… an entire lemon empire.

Melinda Collins sits down for a chat with the serial entrepreneur and creator of Tony’s Tyre Service.

16 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

News | Cover Story

Although his path to success was lined with tyres rather than lemons, the journey has been equally as rough.

Pressured to leave school the day he turned 15, Steve didn’t get the traditional education coveted by many. Instead he took what he had and made the most of it.

The result: Tony’s Tyre Service.

“I pretty much went straight into the tyre industry at that point in Cambridge in the Waikato,” Steve explains of his early exit from classroom confinement.

“I went to three banks, got three credit cards, went to my major supplier and got an extra 30 days credit and went and opened a store in Wanganui. I needed the cash flow to service my debt and that was the only way I knew how.”

Luckily that store “kicked off really well,” so in 1988 he opened another store in Levin and in 1989 he opened the first of two stores in the Wellington market.

“Then I moved locations down to Hastings in the Hawke’s Bay and started in the tyre retreading industry.”

It was a financial tightrope; borrowing to open more stores to instigate greater cashflow. Such is the nature of tightropes that there came a point where he lost his footing. The bank manager informed him they were calling in his debts in 24 hours.

By the age of 18 he was made foreman of that retreading factory, but left when he felt his growth was being held back. “I wanted to become manager and I didn’t see that they would give me that opportunity in the time frame I wanted it.”

He was immediately on a plane to Auckland and soon after he strode into the chief executive’s office at Westpac. “If you guys are going to close me down tomorrow, I suggest you put some arses on planes and take a look at my business.”

His next move was to work as foreman for an independent tyre company that was expanding and at 21 he was transferred down to Palmerston North to manage a new factory they had purchased. “The next step from there I thought was to own my own business.”

It must have been a commanding visit because pretty soon arses were put on planes and the bank decided not only to rescind the threat to call in the debt, but to extend him another loan.

“

The secret is if you haven’t got the skills, you employ them.

Bringing the right people around you is the biggest resource for success.

”

In 1982 at 23 Steve Lange and business partner Phil Jones purchased the first Tony’s Tyre Service in Palmerston North. “We paid $45,000 for that first business,” Steve says.

“Five years later I bought Phil out of our two stores for $680,000. I bought him out because it was always my plan to make it on my own anyway, I just had to pay him a hell of a lot more money than I had wanted to,” he laughs. “A month later we had the share market crash.”

Sales dropped, margins dropped and at one point Steve was paying 23 percent interest on his loan. “It was late 1987, I was under significant financial pressure. I decided the only thing to do was to increase cashflow.”

Naturally the best option was to… open another store?

By the time he sold to Bridgestone in 2008 Steve had not only pulled himself back from near financial ruin more than once, he had developed the largest independently owned tyre company in New Zealand, with 20 stores and an average of 45 percent market share across all the regions it operated in.

Tony talks candidly about the secrets to his success below…

Why was Tony’s Tyre Service so successful?

“The goal right from the outset was to deliver the best service in New Zealand and sell as many tyres as we could.

Tony’s had a really strong culture within the people and at the end of the day it’s people that make the difference. When I sold the business, eight of the staff from the original store were still with me after 26 years, so we had a really strong culture.

We lived by a couple of rules; rule one was the customer is always right, rule two was that if the customer was ever wrong, refer to rule one.

We did a lot of marketing that was quite unique but at the end of the day you can market it as much as you like, but if the customer doesn’t enjoy the experience they won’t come back. So we put a huge amount of resources into developing our people and working with a positive attitude and it’s worked.

The average across the regions was a 45 percent market share; we had five stores in Christchurch, when we sold, but in the likes of Palmerston North and Wellington market our market share was well up over 50 percent.”

“

There’s no one management style that works for everybody; the art of managing people the way they like to be managed, or that they react to better is by far the biggest skill you can develop.

”

You took some risks, how integral is risk to success in business?

What’s the biggest lesson you have learned in business?

“I have a reputation for being a bit of a risk taker. As time went on they’re a bit more calculated risks, but they are still really risky and innovative concepts for the industry.

“Learning how to manage people. There’s no one management style that works for everybody; the art of managing people the way they like to be managed, or that they react to better is by far the biggest skill you can develop.

We had many, many firsts for the industry that almost everybody has picked up now, the likes of the free puncture repairs we did, also the product called Tyre Cover Plus, where if you bought a tyre off Tony’s and you wrecked it, we would replace it free of charge; that was a first in the industry.”

What range of businesses are you involved in now?

“In Wellington I have a bar and restaurant, an online voucher company, a web development company and an online entertainment come data company.

In the Manawatu area I have a used vehicle car yard, a finance company, a fibreglass chimney manufacturing company and a water treatment and crop disease treatment business.

They tell me I’m meant to be retired or semiretired – that hasn’t really gone to plan.”

Your business interests are so diverse, does success in business require passion for an industry, is it about having a winning formula or idea for a venture or is it just about being a good businessman?

“You’ve got to have a passion for it; unless you enjoy it you’re never going to be successful at it. The secret is if you haven’t got the skills, you employ them. Bringing the right people around you is the biggest resource for success. A great businessman is someone who can identify people who can make it a success.”

The lesson I learnt early on was that to grow you need to develop people. You’ve also got to be willing to empower them to make decisions.”

Is the formula for success the same no matter what the company or what the market is doing?

“You’ve got to be able to move with the market of course. But the rules haven’t changed since Adam was a cowboy. The same basic rules apply; look after your customers, look after your people and obviously have quality products.”

What’s in store down the track?

“Four of the companies I’m involved with are start-ups and I’m looking forward to developing those. That’s going to keep me busy over the next two or three years.

Retirement is going to work because you want to, not because you have to. I do think business people would find it difficult to retire because they are successful because they enjoy challenges and that’s the old story, if you want to get something done, ask a busy person.

As long as I can stay vertical, I think I will always be involved in business in some way or other, I’m just going to try and get a bit more travel and a bit more fishing done.”

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 17

News | Interview

John Kirwan

By Anthony Patrickson | Images by Sue Wiggins and Depression NZ

Sport has a habit of propelling heroes into the limelight, from on-field exploits to the later stages when great players become great coaches, but few transcend their sport in such a way that they can truly be accountable for saving lives.

Step forward Sir John Kirwan.

18 | July/August 2013â&#x20AC;&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x192; www.centraltoday.co.nz

News | Interview

A few years ago Kirwan was waiting in line to purchase tickets for a rugby game (he’s certainly too modest to pull the ‘do you know who I am’ line) when he was approached by a man who wanted to thank him for saving his life. The man had been suffering from depression and almost made the ultimate mistake, yet he confided in Kirwan because of his work for Depression NZ and his tell-all book All Blacks Don’t Cry. To tell John Kirwan (or JK as he’s more commonly known) that he is a role model and a lifesaver, which I did during our interview, you will undoubtedly receive the same humble response I received. “No, I’m not a role model. Honestly, I just try to do my best every day and take each day as it comes.”

Japan presented a tough test for coach Kirwan, but immediately he announced his understanding of the Japanese culture by summoning the ‘samurai spirit’ to overcome the height and size disadvantages the national team faced.

“

JK’s worldly nature and seemingly natural ability to tap into a vein of local understanding has led to many stamps in his passport, but a true love for Auckland has kept one of the city’s favourite sons returning time after time. “It’s an amazing city, a fantastic place to live. You can live many lifestyles in Auckland, it has that big town, small city feel.”

Yesterday is gone from my control, so I don’t worry about it. I can make decisions that will feed my soul and give me the life that I can feel good about

The Auckland Blues job was tailor made for Kirwan, a proud Blues man himself and the early season resurgence is arguably Fronting for Depression NZ took mammoth a reflection of JK’s presence. Or it may be courage as the straight-laced world of sport due to the miniature yellow Fiat Bambina can often be unforgiving when it comes to car that is assigned to the player who is the risqué subject of emotions, especially adjudged to have made the most errors in a negative ones. Kirwan was, and still is a beacon of hope for many a stubborn man who game – that mantle comes with the keys for may not have previously addressed persistent a whole week. negative emotions as possible depression.

And the coach is not exempt from the Fiat He’s helped many come to terms with the fact fiasco. JK was awarded the keys for ‘losing it’ that depression is an illness, as opposed to a at half time during the Stormers game. That weakness, and it can affect even those who week Kirwan was knighted at Government appear to have it all.

House in Auckland and arrived to join the glitterati in his little yellow chariot.

“

It’s an amazing city, a fantastic place to live. You can live many lifestyles in Auckland, it has that big town, small city feel.

- SIR JOHN KIRWAN

”

John Kirwan was a young star, a fleet-footed winger with pace to burn and the skills to make any defence nervous when his name appeared on the opposing team sheet.

Playing in 63 tests for New Zealand, he also helped the All Blacks lift the inaugural World Cup in 1987, a tournament in which he scored a memorable try against Italy, still regarded as one of the finest tries of all time.

A glittering playing career was followed by some exciting assignments abroad. JK was world-renowned in rugby and this certainly assisted in his exportability. “I have been incredibly lucky to travel with my profession to some amazing parts of the world. I enjoy the task of integrating into a new society, to learn the culture to become immersed in a new place.”

And integrate he did. He spent time coaching in Italy (2002-2005) and Japan (2007-2011), using his time in the respective countries to learn the culture and even the language.

The honour was bestowed for services to rugby and mental health. Considering he is still actively involved in both rugby and raising awareness of depression, I posed the question to JK of what he personally does to escape or relax and his answer was, as you’d imagine, suitably thought-provoking.

“Well, nowadays we can seemingly justify spending 11-12 hours a day or more working, yet we can’t spend one hour doing what we really want. I think everyone should have three to four ways to relax the mind. I took up surfing, but when there were no waves I couldn’t surf, so I looked for something I could always do like reading or cooking.”

JK admits he was a little late into education but is now a strong advocate of books and has even had time to pen his own work. “All Blacks Don’t Cry was very cathartic for me. I expressed myself by getting those feelings onto paper and it felt good. To know other people may benefit from hearing my story is just fantastic.”

The acclaimed book laid bare the struggles he faced with The Black Dog and how his optimism has helped him become well again. “Reading is my soul food. I’m a serial reader… I may have started late, but I’m certainly making up for it now.”

Reading is one of the three main forms of relaxation JK practises. Cooking and the guitar are the other two home-based constants the Blues coach prefers to indulge himself in. When asked how the guitar was working for him, his laugh spoke volumes before his admittance that “It sounds like a squealing cat!”

Never mind JK, there’s plenty of time to perfect the chords and let’s just hope the Blues play in tune until the end of the

- SIR JOHN KIRWAN

season under the new mentor’s guidance.

Guidance which JK says he will implement through “actions and not words” and we all know which speaks louder.

Looking over the CV must be a strong source of pride for JK. If there ever was a career blueprint in New Zealand rugby, Sir JK certainly seems to have followed it pretty closely. An impressive playing career with international honours, an OE while coaching our national sport and external work that helps ordinary members of society on a daily basis – not to mention the small matter of a knighthood for all of the above.

To use a sporting cliché, JK has been ‘straight down the line’. The line in his early years was the touchline he used to barnstorm down. In his later years he stood the other side of that same touchline, coaching. But being ‘straight down the line’, in its true context, refers to his honesty and integrity. To openly battle depression before the nation he represented is, to use another sporting cliché, ‘taking one for the team’.

”

“But now I said, Mr Anxiety Attack, you haven’t beaten me in the past and you’re probably not going to beat me in the future.

You can come. I’m not going to fight you anymore. I’m going to work out how I’m going to live with you. You can come, because I know you’re going to leave,” he narrates in his work.

Sir John Kirwan remains a figure of strength, a leader of men and beacon of hope. Hope for all Blues fans, hope for depression sufferers and hope for sports fans worldwide that more ‘stars’ will evolve into such role models for future generations.

Although his persona radiates humility, and at times it feels easier to refer to him as JK, he thoroughly deserves to be addressed by his rightful title - Sir John Kirwan.

New Zealand needed a respected figure to stand tall and confess that it’s OK to feel down – you can get through this and his stature in sport made him the ideal candidate to dispel a taboo often associated with mental illness.

He immortalised his personal battle in All Blacks Don’t Cry. “Yesterday is gone from my control, so I don’t worry about it. I can make decisions that will feed my soul and give me the life that I can feel good about,” he says in the book.

As a coach, Kirwan is a purveyor of tactics on a daily basis, perfected on the training pitch and utilised during games, but even his personal life he has had to use methods of tactical control to fight his illness.

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 19

News | Life online

Digital networking

By Melinda Collins

We are constantly being bombarded with information on how to use social media for the benefit of our business. But according to a recent MYOB Business Monitor’s survey of more than 1,000 small to medium enterprises, only a fifth of those firms now use social media – almost a quarter less than in August 2011.

Perhaps we can pass this off as one of those times where less really is more. Here we have broken social media down to its key elements, to make it easier to get your head around and make a tactical choice as to which will work best for you.

Blogging The typical definition of a blog, according to a Pyra Labs Blogger is, “a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically – like a ‘what’s new’ page or a journal”.

Business blogs offer an excellent corporate tool for communicating with customers to share your knowledge and expertise, all the while promoting your brand. So what does blogging offer small businesses?

Freedom is yours. With business blogging, you simply write your thoughts, link to resources and publish. There are even some great blog software companies out there offering tools and set up guides to get you started (www. websitesetupguide.com).

Quite simply, blogging is a web presence without the price tag. So when you haven’t the time to learn web html or the money to hire a developer, blogging enables you to get your name out there – really a great option for the SME owner.

Most importantly, you need to have goals for what you want your blog to accomplish - whether that is to build a brand, generate leads, generate direct sales, or generate advertising revenue. These goals will determine your content. Once you’re in action, make sure monitor your traffic and analyse your success so you can tailor your blogging accordingly.

Social networking We’ve all heard about social networking and how we should use sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, but how do we integrate these tools into real life marketing?

Social media enables a business to connect with customers on a very personal scale.

Businesses on social networks build pages where people can become their fans or friends. You have instant access to many of 20 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

your existing and potential customers at any given point and it couldn’t be easier to get hold of them than the click of a button.

Before you jump on the networking bandwagon, it’s important to consider what each site offers and how you can benefit from their resources. Without this plan your only success may prove to be in wasting time.

Ask yourself what you business needs are. Social networking is about more than messaging former high school buddies, so set about a plan for what you want out of your networking – do you need more staff, do you want to market new products, build a brand or try out a new idea on the market?

Next you need to know who your target market is because, with more than 300 million users on Facebook alone, you need to narrow your focus.

Answering some of these questions will suggest to you which sites you should start with and the sort of content you should be considering. Remember a poorly managed page is likely more harmful than none at all, so make sure you have the time to maintain the site or find someone who can.

Multimedia Multimedia video sharing over the web is another great resource for SMEs to make their mark.

Multimedia is essentially broadcasting a video or media file online, including video podcasts, vblogs, videocasting or webshows. Done correctly, it is a way for your customers to get behind the scenes of your business.

There are four essential ingredients to successful multimedia marketing; equipment, a theme, an online portal and marketing.

In terms of equipment, electronic gear is getting cheaper and cheaper, meaning many SMEs can gain access either short or long term, to the equipment required. If you have a higher budget however, you can hire a professional and many companies offer packages suitable for SMEs, such as www.ruffells.co.nz.

You could have the best equipment and coolest video, but it wouldn’t matter unless you are doing something interesting.

“

Before you jump on the networking bandwagon, it’s important to consider what each site offers and how you can benefit from their resources.

Without this plan your only success may prove to be in time wasting.

”

And whatever you do, don’t sit in an office chair preaching about your business. Sell your business; talk to customers, film the store, take viewers behind the scenes of how you make products – anything cool and unique will work a treat.

Once you’ve got the video sorted, upload it for free on YouTube where it can be viewed by anyone. Webcasts can be uploaded to free or paid hosting sites such as iTunes.

However, regular surveillance of such sites allows you to interact directly with customers, while you manage your company’s reputation.

In fact, by responding to criticism and posting answers to online queries in your industry can bring in new and repeat customers, if done properly. Even if your company is focused on quality customer service, sooner or later you are going to receive a less than favourable review on the web. It’s what you do next which is critical to your bottom line.

Chances are the negative reviewer isn’t rushing back to your business, so the purpose of a response is to mitigate the negative impact of potential new customers who are scoping you out online.

Firstly you need to be regularly keeping an eye out on what’s being said, so your response is timely. Some sites, such as TripAdvisor, provide a response gateway to enable you to respond. So once you have figured out if you can respond, you need to decide if you should respond.

Some comments are just too abstract to attempt a response, and attempting to would be counterproductive. When you find a complaint which is suitable for a response, check your ego at the door.

The time honoured approach of “feel, felt, found” is perfect for this.

Feel We understand how you feel about this; product / service / treatment / quality / price.

Felt Online review sites Surprisingly, using customer forums and review sites such as www.mytradesman.co.nz can generate sales and few of us are taking advantage of this great opportunity.

To many, the internet can seem like a vast forum where anyone can say anything and you can’t get your two cents in. Many businesses get caught up in the social media such as Twitter and Facebook, while neglecting review and answer sites.

If any other customers have felt this way, please contact us directly and immediately.

Found We looked into your complaint and here is what we found out about our business.

This approach has a strong psychological impact on potential clients and a great way to end is with “Thanks for bringing this to our attention; this is how we fixed it so that it never happens again.”

News | Trends

Pinned it

Here are a few pointers:

By Davina Richards

How many of you growing up pinned inspiring, motivational and thought provoking posters, photographs, messages, cards or items onto your bedroom wall?

Then it’s no surprise the online scrapbook Pinterest, launched in 2010, is a proven hit with 48.7 million global users.

One of the fastest growing social media websites since Facebook and Twitter came and rocked the social media platform, Pinterest connects people through their common interests using visual images which can be easily navigated on an online pinboard.

And there’s no doubt that it’s become a religious daily habit for many users who love everything from art, travel, science, technology, fashion, crafts and anything in between.

It works by allowing users to create and title their own boards, and ‘pin’ their favourite images or videos. Upload your own information, pin, re-pin, share, follow, collect and organise. Each and every pin can be ‘liked’ and commented on, so you can share your interests with people from around the world. Welcome and encourage comments; this is a social network after all.

Pinterest is now one of the most effective and powerful marketing tools used today, with many SMEs turning towards the trend to propel their business forward by creating brand awareness, web traffic and increase sales. Having a presence on Pinterest encourages users and potential buyers to pin your products and comment on what they like (or dislike) about it.

Pinterest may not be right for some brands and it’s true it has a wider female demographic, but the popular platform is evolving and we could see a climb in male users in the future.

Consider who you want to aim your business at and how Pinterest will help you

2

1

“

Consider who you want to aim your business at and how Pinterest will help you to reach them.

Remember that Pinterest is all about the visual rather than the words.

”

Be positive

Choose images carefully. Consider what it offers to users and how this will reign in potential customers.

In doing this, you can engage with users, increase brand identity awareness, drive traffic to your website and boost sales.

Share images which are inviting and show company growth and stability. Choose positive images of your brand, offers and products to pin on your board and make sure they motivate, inspire and educate the user. Regularly update with new images or videos to maintain online interest and promote your brand to a specific audience.

3

4

Be involved

Pin It

Re-pin, comment, tag or ‘like’ pins from other businesses.

Taking a proactive approach means you’re getting your business known and not coming across as a pushy marketer.

Encourage users to pin your website. Having a ‘Pin It’ button allows an image on a website to be pinned instantly by the user.

Install this to your own website and additionally, include the ‘follow me’ button.

5

6

Interaction

Social media platforms

to reach them. Remember that Pinterest is all about the visual rather than the words. Text light and picture heavy is the way forward.

If you have a verified website, you will receive information to monitor your performance such as how many people have visited your site from Pinterest, your most repinned and your most recent pins. This way you can work out what content Pinterest users are more likely to respond to.

Strategy

It’s not just about pinning and responding. Heighten user engagement by making direct interaction available. Include multimedia in your pins such as videos, podcasts, demos, tutorials, presentations, and respectively why not ask customers to upload images of themselves using or wearing your product?

Social media sites ‘talk’ to each other, so it’s a good idea to connect your Pinterest page onto Facebook, Twitter and embed in your blog, this way more people can see what you're pinning and reach a wider audience.

7

No matter what stage you’re at in your business venture, use Pinterest to help you promote and market your business and to guide you to make better marketing decisions. www.pinterest.com

8

Pin placement

Freebies

When you need information you expect to source it quickly and with the most important information at the top. Increase viewer numbers by placing your pin boards on the top, second row or near the middle of your pinboard so users don’t have to scroll endlessly to find what they’re looking for.

Many successful businesses offer free items to attract customers and convert them into buyers. Follow suit by including podcasts, white papers and e-books on your page.

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9

Stand out

Confirmation

Use search engine optimisation.

Optimise your Pinterest page by highlighting key words, phrases, titles and descriptions so your business will be found quickly on search engines.

Online users like to know a website is authentic. Verify your website and be a trusted source. You’ll also be able to access the Pinterest Web Analytic feature which allows you to track consumer interest. Use this to move forward with future strategies.

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 21

News | Lifestyles

Lifestyles

1.

By Davina Richards

1.

Bed heaven

Telo headboard So white and luxurious you’d think it’d be best to leave it in a showroom. But this pristine, upholstered, tufted headboard shouldn’t be left untouched. Stunning and elegant, it will make your bedroom exude luxury. Just don’t forget to match it with white drapes, duvet, pillow cases and linen.

RRP: POA

2.

Available from: www.backhousenz.com

2.

One more time

Jupiter beige wooden watch Its point of difference is the fact that it’s just cool.

Fashionable and eco-friendly the Jupiter watch is made with 100 percent maple wood. A tree is planted for every WeWood watch produced, so you don’t need to worry about running off into the forest to start tree-hugging.

It’s a little piece of art born from the city of Florence.

3.

RRP: $265 Available from: www.hapa.co.nz

3.

Inky indulgence

Caran d’Ache fountain pen They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but with this thing every word you write will come at a hefty price. The Caran d’Ache 1010 Diamonds limited edition fountain pen has taken inspiration from Swiss watch making to deliver an intricate, creative and stunning masterpiece of a writing instrument. It includes gold, rhodium-coated, silver-plated and precious stones. At this price, you’d think miniscule diamonds would fall out when the ink flows.

RRP: AU$1.2 million Available from: www.carandache.com

4.

Practical shapes

Kaleido tray These boldly coloured, puzzle-like trays can be used as a decorative statement, organiser, or used to serve up a well deserved coffee or wine. Each tray is available in five different sizes and nine colours.

RRP: $36 (extra small) to extra large $175 Available from: www.corporateculture.co.nz

22 | May/June 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

4.

News | Lifestyles

Lifestyles

5.

5.

Totally cool

Smeg refrigerator If this isn’t the coolest fridge ever, then I don’t what is.

Smeg has stayed on top of the urban retro trend and cloaked today’s technology in an old-style case to help you kit out your kitchen in ultimate style. Choose from the broad range of vibrant retro refrigerators, combined fridgefreezers, washing machines, oven tops and dishwashers, to make even the unlikeliest kitchen appliance stand out in style.

6.

RRP: $7,599 Available from: www.smeg.co.nz

6.

The sensor bundle

Belkin WeMo Going out? The Belkin WeMo Switch and WeMo Motion Kit delivers wireless control of your home appliances and electronics, turning devices of your choice on or off via motion sensors. The sensor plugs into an outlet and detects motion up to nine metres away and sends a wireless signal to the WeMo Switch to turn the connected device on or off.

7.

RRP: $159.95 Available from: www.belkin.com.au

7.

Life’s a beach

Contemporary framed print Available in either white or black frame, this quintessential ‘Kiwiana style’ framed print just evokes the feeling of summer ahead. Beautifully packaged in bubble wrap, Kiwiana wrapping paper and safely protected inside a cardboard sleeve for save delivery. It’s an ideal corporate and conference gift, or for rewarding prompt paying customers and referrals to your business, a wedding present, or as a treat for your home this Christmas. The size is 435 mm x 445 mm and discounts are available when purchased in larger quantities.

RRP: $120 Available from: David Kerr Greatscapes Collection www.davidkerrphotography.co.nz

8.

8.

Stash it

Stash Box Talk about male grooming. The stash box comes complete with shaving cream, hair shave brush, a face scrub and moisturiser. The apothecary styled case allows you to utilise the box once the contents have been used on your pretty little face. It works well as a handy box to stash all those essential man items – batteries, old phones, manuals, cables and the like.

RRP: $165 Available from: www.triumphanddisaster.com

www.centraltoday.co.nz May/June 2013 | 23

News | Destinations

Discovering Dubai

Dubai to-dos

By Corazon Miller

This middle-eastern city, which looms grandly out of the natural expanse of the Arabian Desert, is one of a kind, and it knows it.

Dubai, the flashy, most populated of the seven United Arab Emirates, proudly boasts about having the biggest mall in the world, the tallest tower in the world, the world’s largest flower garden, the most expensive “seven star” hotel in the world and even the world’s largest ring; a whopping 64kg, 21 carat ring, studded with no less than 615 Swarovski stones.

Opulence is the name of the game With such a lengthy list of “accomplishments” you’d think Dubai would finally be willing to sit back, relax and bask in its luxurious surrounds. But alas, there is no rest for the wicked. The powers that be announced, late last year, it will be breaking the record of its colossal Dubai Mall to create an even bigger mall on the soon to be developed Mohammed Bin Rashid City.

As well as the mall, it has been said that the new “city” will host a park 30 percent larger than that of London’s Hyde Park and more than 100 hotel facilities.

While such opulence is not to everyone’s taste, Dubai is certainly worth a visit, as like it or not, there is no denying that much of the infrastructure of this former fishing village, turned city of fabricated modern wonders, is something of a modern miracle.

One could be forgiven for thinking that the “little village that could” is not situated in

24 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

the middle of the Arabian desert, with its grandiose multi-lane motorways, man-made islands dotting the coast line, super sized malls and its huge skyscrapers that defy the very nature of gravity.

An epic enigma This discrepancy between Dubai’s traditional past and its modern visage paints a rather perplexing image of the city – nothing is what it seems. This juxtaposition between the traditions of yesterday and the changing tomorrow was made blindingly obvious during an encounter with a young Emirati creating henna art.

When asked if she had any black henna, she responded with a “no, it’s not allowed - it’s not natural.” It was a short statement, which highlighted the fact that while the traditional culture obviously places an emphasis on a natural, more modest way of life, the Dubai of the future is far from rooted in nature.

In fact, this city has made a name for itself building objects that appear to defy the very being of nature, with the vast desert land covered by fields, gardens and overtaken by modern architecture, the traditional souks turned into huge shopping centres, interior ski resorts and the luxurious hotels curiously shaped into mini-pyramids and large sail boats.

A melting pot of culture This proud city, both architecturally and demographically, is a melting pot of east meets west. It is home to an immense array of architecture; from the tallest building in the world,– including the king of them all – the Burj Khalifa that stands at an impressive 828 metres, to the mini Venice, mini Atlantis, the Egyptian pyramid shaped mall, to the more traditional, ancient middleeastern souks.

Demographically the cultural mix is just as apparent; from the second you step off the plane and walk into the vast expanse that is Dubai airport, a mixture of language surrounds you and will continue to fill the air throughout your visit to this unique city.

Although Arabic is the official language of Dubai, Persian, Malayalam, English, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and Tagalog are also spoken. With a large expatriate community and its reputation for being one of the more liberal countries in the region, less than 20 percent of the population are actually Emirati nationals.

For the adventurous and less adventurous alike, there is something to be found in this city of wonders.

Shop till you drop In Dubai, shopping becomes an adventure akin to island hopping. Check out the Madinat Jumeirah hotel with its mini, imitation venus, the Walfi Mall with its Egyptian pyramid-styled design, visit the traditional souks of Dubai across its picturesque creek and explore the Middle East’s interpretation of the mythical long lost Greek isle at Atlantis, The Palms.

Thanks to this melting pot of culture, that at the surface at least, appears to mix together harmoniously, Dubai is often touted as a safe haven for tourists in the Middle East; a region that is more commonly associated with political and military tensions than a relaxing holiday.

Ride the desert

Like any tourist destination Dubai does have its own pitfalls and it doesn’t have the same historical allure as many of its neighbours.

However, these facts aside, Dubai definitely has its perks and for those en route from all the way “down under” to the vaster European continent – this proud city is perfectly placed as a stopover destination, to break up that long-haul journey across the globe.

On arrival you can take a camel ride, satisfy your hunger with the enticing middle-eastern BBQ and be enthralled by the light-spinners and belly dancers that take centre stage.

For those in search of a bit of a thrill, Dubai’s many tourist operators offer an exciting, desert safari, which takes you on a bumpy four wheel ride, across the sand dunes, into the middle of the desert.

Cheap deeds While Dubai is not known for being cheap, there are some options for the budget conscious traveller.

Learn about Dubai’s history to success at the Dubai Museum, take a ride on an Arbra (traditional boat) across the Dubai Creek or simply wander through the souks and enjoy the uniquely Middle Eastern atmosphere.

Hamilton; an economic powerhouse

The rise and rise of Hamilton Not only is Hamilton the economic hub of the Waikato, but some forward thinking initiatives are laying the foundation for a prosperous future for the city and its surroundings.

These rural surroundings see Hamilton’s economy function as a large service sector which includes health, education, energy, business services and government agencies.

These are high value economic assets to the city and will continue to be an important source of jobs and income.

With a young, agile and dynamic population and its geographic location placing Hamilton in the growth triangle making up Auckland and the Bay of Plenty, the city is a metropolitan hub yet enjoys many of the aspects associated with smaller city living such as our healthy natural environment.

There is also a growing base of high technology machinery, equipment and material manufacturers in the city – sectors which have grown from their foundations in servicing agricultural industries in the wider region. These sectors demonstrate comparative and competitive advantages, are trading nationally and internationally, and are of high value to the city.

So in the coming pages we look at some initiatives designed to ensure momentum is maintained. In particular how Downer and the Hamilton City Council delivered the Hamilton Ring Road, and McConnell Property talks about its work on the PwC Centre (formerly known as the Citygate building) and the multi-functional business district called Titanium Park.

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National Fieldays at the Mystery Creek Events Centre delivers a key economic boost for not just Hamilton, but the entire region

Ensuring Hamilton maintains its economic momentum Ring Road enters final stage Work on the final piece in the Wairere Drive extension, from Ruakura Road to Cobham Drive, is due to start next month.

areas and creating opportunities for walking, cycling and public transport.’’

Hamilton City Council is proceeding to move into the next planned section of work with Downer to complete this final link in the Ring Road network - part of the $84 million Hamilton Ring Road Upgrade and Extension project.

Key features include Dey St becoming a separate service lane alongside the new road, extension of the off-road walking and cycling facilities, and crossings being provided for cyclists and pedestrians heading east or west.

Another key part of the project, the fourlaning of Wairere Dr from River Rd to Resolution Dr, is expected to get under way early this coming summer in order to take advantage of the drier weather when working through this gully section.

Acting city developments manager, Martin Mould says the entire project is having a positive impact on traffic flows around the city.

“When the section to Cobham Dr is complete we will have a major arterial road of 12.4 km, with shared walkways and cycleways, making it a whole lot easier to get around the city by taking traffic out of residential

The Wairere Dr extension south of Ruakura Rd to Cobham Dr will be done in stages, starting with Ruakura Rd to Clyde St, then moving on to the Clyde St to Cambridge Rd section, and finally completing the Cambridge Rd to Cobham Dr section. The job is expected to be finished in mid 2015.

In the early stages of works nearby residents can expect to see the site being set up and some service relocations being undertaken, and from early August construction activity will get under way.

Initial work in August will include installing new kerbs along Dey St on the eastern side to reduce the existing road width to 6m, and also closing access to Dey St at Clyde St intersection in order to start site works on the new Clyde St traffic signals. Access to all properties will be retained throughout the project.

For more information check the project website www.hamilton.co.nz/ AccessHamilton

Hamilton, at the heart of Waikato’s prosperous dairy community, has been quietly diversifying in recent times as more opportunities arise on the back of an improving economy and word gets out about the advantages of doing business here.

Hamilton City Council is proud of its supportive planning tools which are helping to pave the way for growth and expansion, and subsequent job opportunities, while maintaining a strong focus on developing a sustainable, modern city for people to live, work and play in.

plus in redeveloping the Downdown Plaza as part of its Centre Place retail showcase.

Industry continues to be attracted to Hamilton, many newcomers wanting to take advantage of cheaper land than Auckland, well serviced by road and rail, and a skilled workforce. Much of that is happening at Te Rapa, in the city’s north, but plans are also advancing for a giant inland port hub at Ruakura, closer to the city.

While growth is encouraged and managed in various strategic plans, similar ones exist to guide the development of the city for the betterment of the people who live here.

Mayor Julie Hardaker says it’s about striking a balance.

“Hamilton is a great place to live and we want to keep it that way. People like it here because we have good infrastructure, affordable housing, work opportunities, excellent schools and two top tertiary institutions, access to great beaches east and west, and heaps of lifestyle choices which There are many examples of this new optimism in the central city, which Council has you can’t get in many cities.” made a special effort to revitalise. Millions And Hamilton is well placed to take of dollars are pouring into office and retail advantage as further opportunities arise. developments like the Citygate and Project “We are planning for another 50,000 people Grantham office buildings and the new Sky to call Hamilton home in the next 30-40 City 135-room hotel. years, and to be the principal driver of The retail area is getting a huge lift with Kiwi employment, retailing, entertainment and Income Property Trust spending $40 million business in the Waikato.’’ www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 25

Hamilton; an economic powerhouse | Downer

New Ring Road an economic driving force The success of any significant civil infrastructural project demands an interactive and co-operative approach – one which takes into consideration not only the logistics of the physical operation itself, but also how to ensure the community that will be principally affected by this work, is engaged to the fullest extent.

Utilising a plethora of dynamic technologies and proactive engagement strategies throughout the construction of the commercially iconic Hamilton Ring Road, these organisations achieved an award winning communications approach.

Underpinning all of this was a seamless co-operative effort between the teams involved.

Building a future The official opening of a key section of the Hamilton Ring Road — a core roading infrastructure for the city — was a significant moment. The completion of this road section marked the culmination of more than five years of strategic planning implementation.

The project is now a partnership between the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA)

Aerial view from above the upgraded Pukete Rd – Wairere Dr intersection.

Supporting economic development in Hamilton, the project represents a critical opportunity to ensure the Waikato Expressway fulfils its intended function as a key route for freight and inter-regional through-traffic.

The timing of the project is intended to ensure that the completion of the Ring Road will be well aligned and synchronised with the construction of the Hamilton section of the Waikato Expressway – a road of national significance.

The numbers speak for themselves as testament to the significance of the work; the project costs total $80 million with central government contributing $46 million.

The project scope includes both widening an existing major arterial road and construction of a new four major lane arterial route, both through built urban environments.

These works are critical to Hamilton city and Pukete Bridge its strategic infrastructure network, to manage existing traffic congestion and also allow for future city growth.

The celebration was not just about the physical completion of the project, but the During the official opening of the first success of how efficiently it was completed. completed section, a blessing by Wiremu Puke was held followed by a sacred burial Embracing the challenge of a kete containing holy water and various religious passages.

At the helm of this success has been Downer – a leading New Zealand contractor whose portfolio spells out its strong commercial capabilities.

G U A R D R A I L | F E N C I N G | R E TA I N I N G WA L L S

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The central government purchased the land back in the fifties with the objective of incorporating it into the southern motorway, but it wasn’t until 2006, following the adoption of the project by Hamilton City Council, that it officially got the green light.

and the Hamilton City Council, with the two agencies working closely together to ensure the transport network in and around Hamilton is well integrated.

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There’s no tried and tested formula to achieve this per se, but there is a comprehensive approach demonstrated by Downer and its strategic partner Hamilton City Council, that is an exemplar model for how this can be achieved.

Following a competitive commercial tender process in late 2010, Downer secured the contract and work commenced in January 2011.

Project manager Iain Fletcher says the success of Downer during the tender process came down to various factors.

Congratulations to Downer NZ and Hamilton City Council

“We were able to give the council a competitive price and, as a basis for the price, we were able to put forward a very strong proposal. Putting together a great team was also part of our offering to the council through the tender process.”

Downer embraced the physical complexities of the project as a challenge, with the ‘clipon’ walkway/cycleway demanding a lateral thinking approach.

“This was a very challenging structure and we worked very closely and collaboratively with the designer on this,” Iain explains.

Phone: 0275568909

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Email: bob@nzbarriersystems.co.nz

26 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

“Designing an effective model was a difficult process and this did not work quite as

anticipated by the designers, so it needed to be tweaked. This option was a much more economic option than building a new duplicate Road bridge, but demanded a lot of collaboration.”

This collaboration extended beyond Downer and the council and involved a mixture of subcontractors.

“As much as possible, we recruited project support from local subcontractors.

We wanted to be able to support the local community and invest money back into the area.”

Careful fiscal management of the broader project also paid literal dividends for NZTA and the council with the works currently within budget.

The ground improvement work required for the development were some of the largest in New Zealand – second only to those required to remediate land in Christchurch following the Canterbury earthquakes.

“This was a significant feature of the project,” Iain confirms. “Our methodology involved deep soil mixing.”

Deep soil mixing, or DSM for short, is a soil improvement technology designed to treat soils in-situ with the objective of strengthening the ground and reducing compressibility.

Hiway GeoTechnical – Underpinning the development of Hamilton New Zealand has a proud history of innovation in the face of adversity and the Hiway Geotechnical is no stranger to staring down a challenge and meeting it head on.

This is exactly what it did, via its component company Hiway GeoTechnical Ltd did when facing the engineering issues surrounding the Hamilton Ring Road.

Hiway GeoTechnical was employed by the main contractor Downer (NZ) Ltd as a specialist subcontractor for ground Improvements on the $70 million Hamilton Ring Road upgrade extension project.

The significant undertaking extends the Wairere Drive four lane configuration from Crosby Road to Cambridge Road.

AECOM were commissioned by Hamilton City Council to undertake the design of this section of the project. The site investigation revealed the presence of sensitive, potentially liquefiable layers at two locations, namely at the Carrs Road interchange (an over bridge and large retaining walls) and the east coast main trunk line rail bridge.

AECOM carried out preliminary liquefaction assessments for both of these sites which indicated that excessive deformations were likely in a large seismic event. They concluded that some form of ground improvement would be required.

A number of options were considered for ground improvement including stone columns and timber piles.

However, given the sensitive nature of some of the materials and the close proximity to adjacent properties, AECOM invited Hiway Geo Technical (HGT) to provide ground improvement options based on its deep soil mixing capability.

HGT were subsequently engaged as a nominated subcontractor with Downers as the head contractor.

The initial design for both locations was for the bridge decks to be supported fully on piles, with isolated mechanically stabilised earth (MSE) walls at the abutments. Ground improvements would be carried out underneath the abutments as required.

In the case of the over bridge at Carrs Road, the bridge was a two span structure with the central pier supported on driven precast concrete piles.

During the detailed design development phase, the design was changed to delete the abutment piles entirely and to rest the superstructure directly on the MSE walls, relying on the ground improvement for support.

This option produced considerable cost savings. As a result, the ground improvement needed to take account of the additional bridge deck loadings on the MSE walls, particularly under seismic excitation.

The initial plan was to install a series of driven precast concrete piles underneath the central pier. But given that the DSM rig was already on site, HGT proposed an alternative to the piles using DSM columns reinforced with a steel H-pile to provide additional bending capacity.

This ability to adapt and deliver is what ensures Hiway GeoTechnical and the other companies in the Hiway Group deliver workable solutions to today’s engineering challenges.

About the Hiway Group

Hiway Stabilizers Hiway Stabilizers, are specialists in all aspects pavement stabilization, including Foamed Bitumen Stabilization, Aggregate Modification, Pavement Recycling, Subgrade Stabilization, and Fill Conditioning.

Hiway Geotechnical Hiway Geotechnical specialise in Ground Improvements and slope remediation, with such technologies as Deep Soil Mixed columns, In Situ and Ex Situ Mass stabilization, Soil nails, ground anchors, rock fall protection.

Hiway Environmental Hiway Environmental specialise in contaminated site remediation.

Hiways are lateral thinkers. Clients throughout New Zealand benefit from the group’s core expertise built on lateral and innovative thinking.

For prompt and reliable service contact the pavement stabilizing and ground improvement specialists.

The Hiway Group consists of three specialist divisions, Hiway’s is a recognised leader, and reputation for investing in and perfecting industry leading technologies, this has been built on an uncompromising commitment to innovation, people, and performance.

Hiway Group Head Office 79 Foundry Rd Silverdale T (09) 426 3419 E info@hiways.co.nz www.hiways.co.nz

Completed H pile structural members placed in completed central pier column, while the DSM rig completes a new column in the background.

Turbojet DSM machine set up and installing columns.

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 27

Hamilton; an economic powerhouse | Downer

6.5 kilometers of work site, it was inevitable that businesses, schools and pedestrians were going to be affected in some way, shape or form by the project.

“Being proactive and focusing on involving the community itself is the key strategic approach,” Downer’s stakeholder communications advisor Brandy Smith says.

“We want to make sure that we provide platforms, which allow for real time, consistent and honest information updates.”

With the context of the size, scope and duration of the project in mind, both Downer and the council knew the work demanded strategies that were beyond and in addition to the usual stakeholder management process.

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School visit during project’s early stages

People first Thinking outside the square is a professional forté of Downer’s – a capability also shared by the communications team at the Hamilton City Council.

information dissemination and explore grassroots alternatives.

“Council’s receptive approach towards Downer’s communications proposal took a lot of pressure off,” Iain says.

Against a backdrop of local political pressure and managing stakeholder expectations, the development of a strategic communications and community engagement approach was imperative.

“We’ve received many positive phone calls throughout the process and Brandy Smith and our communications team at Downer’s and the council implemented excellent communications strategies.”

The approach needed to be proactive, but dynamic and agile enough to flex and accommodate new demands and challenges as and when required.

Mitigation of factors such as noise, vibration and general disruption to the local community have been achieved through clear, concise community engagement, all of which is underpinned by one key communications principal – transparency.

It was fortunate therefore, that the Downer and council communications teams involved in the project had the foresight to look beyond traditional channels of

With 25,000 plus commuters using the road, and Hamilton residents living alongside the

Leaders in Aggregate Solutions.

Perry Aggregates has long been associated with the roading industry and has been proud to be involved in the supply of products to the Downer Company as part of the HCC Ring Rds project.

Perry Aggregates intention has always been to be the first choice supplier of subgrade, drainage and final pavement products ensuring a consistent supply of products that meet and exceed the given specifications.

“Our process always involves the traditional communications channels - media releases, newsletter updates, letter drops, personal visits, a 24 hour free call line and email outs.

“But we knew we needed to do more to successfully capture the majority of the 25,000 plus commuters and to do this we knew we needed a dynamic approach.

“We needed to look outside the square and do what no other contractor in New Zealand had successfully done before, and that is, heavily incorporate social media into the communications mix for a major roading project.”

This decision was arguably a bold, but calculated move given the contentious and often unpredictable nature of a social media presence.

Ultimately, the teams involved knew that this presence was a fundamental and critical part of a successful approach, but it also meant they were opening the door for a flood of criticism in a very public space if there were complications with the project.

Hamilton City Council won the ‘Best Use of Social Media in Local Government for a Major Project’ at the 2013 ALGIM awards in Wellington. The Mayor of Hamilton Julie Hardaker expressed her appreciation: “Congrats on winning 'Best Use of Social Media' award at the LG Information Management conference last week Brandy!! You are doing a brilliant job chatting and keeping us all up to date with what’s happening.”

- Julie Hardaker, Hamilton City Mayor

To read about the progress to date and to keep track of future progress go to: www.hamiltonringroad.wordpress.com www.facebook.com/HamiltonRingRoad twitter.com/HamiltonRingRd

Core values embraced

by Downer Downer has a strong focus on communication both internally and externally – recognising its importance to success in business. The company works hard to foster cultures of communication to improve business internally and to maintain a first class reputation in the field externally.

Downer’s core values are: • Courage

“We were grateful for the opportunity to communicate with stakeholders through these channels and deal with the few small issues that cropped up as required.”

• Excellence.

With a presence on Facebook, Twitter and regular updates via a Wordpress blog, the project is an open book of sorts, keeping its followers informed every step of the way.

• Build and maintain excellent relationships with all stakeholders with the aim of generating support for the project and enabling it to proceed unimpeded

• Collaboration • Integrity

These strongly align with the Downer stakeholder communication objectives:

• Ensure all project staff understand the importance of good communication and customer care • Reflect a “can do” attitude through positive communications

Spiral Drillers are the piling contractors of choice for all Hamilton projects

• Base all interaction with customers on values of respect, trust and commitment.

Ensure customer satisfaction through:

Proud to be associated with the Downer Project. www.perryresources.co.nz

• Informing customers and key stakeholders in an appropriate and timely manner using simple, easily understood and positive language via different mediums • Being responsive to customers and key stakeholders

Perry Resources Hutchinson Road Horotiu, Waikato Ph. (07) 8299 602

• Developing, implementing and monitoring well managed processes for customer and key stakeholder communication and care

0800 774 725

info@spiraldrillers.co.nz www.spiraldrillers.co.nz 28 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

”

The Hamilton Road Ring journey

“The Facebook feedback and feedback we received through other social media avenues was overwhelmingly positive,” Iain Fletcher comments of the experience.

An experienced team with the right product - right place and then delivered on time provide you with the confidence to plan and budget for jobs both big and small.

For expert advice don’t hesitate to contact the team at Perry Aggregates for both product and delivery options.

“

• Organisation of community project related events.

Hamilton; an economic powerhouse | Downer

Construction of a retaining wall

“The Facebook page has received 2010 ‘likes’ to date and has to date (at the time this story was written) reached an audience of over 5,000 people,” Brandy comments.

"This is simply not possible using traditional methods.”

Innovative communication aside, the more traditional methods of stakeholder management have certainly not been abandoned in the process, and also represent an integral part of the community engagement.

“Every Friday we send out a weekly project update, which is distributed to over 400 people via email, and we also send 'snail mail' to a few other interested parties,” Brandy explains.

“Notification of works letters are hand delivered to directly affected residents when required by Downer staff. These are published via social media to ensure that they reach commuters.

“We also personally visit those whose property or business may be directly inconvenienced during stages of the project.”

Ultimately, the philosophy of Downer, when it comes to social media, can be distilled down into one very simple but fundamental value – trust.

“Once the personal dialogue had been established with the online community and others saw this, there was an almost instant shift from negative to positive perception towards both the project and contractor/client.”

The dialogue and messages have been kept simple – an absolute must in an environment that is generally over-saturated with technical jargon and acronyms.

“

“

“Your page has been by far the BEST communication and engagement with the public that I have ever seen for a major roading development. Up to date important information (without having to read a long boring newsletter); open engagement and two-way communication, listening to gripes and sympathising, passing feedback directly to the crews when simple changes can help the public has helped us (the public) be happier about putting up with frustrations because we’ve been well informed and feel connected to the people behind it ... plus it’s been exciting seeing the photos of progress, and a laugh to read the many funny comments that have made it so warm and personal. You’ve set the new standard for communication!”

- Josh Moore, March 2013

Commuters and residents are well informed and they know they are being listened to the latter is key to maintaining Downer’s first class reputation and promoting commitment to the communities we work in.

- DOWNER’S STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS ADVISOR, BRANDY SMITH

”

The success of the communications also came down to the collective will and support of the team on-site who are engaging with the community right at the coalface.

“On the Ring Road project our crews understand stakeholder issues and how to interact with the public in a positive and friendly manner. Several of our guys’ onsite have been a great asset to the project and have been helpful by liaising with the residents and businesses who are directly affected on a day to day basis.”

In recognition of how effectively the communications teams at both Downer and the council utilised social media, the council received the ‘Best Use of Social Media’ award at the May 2013 Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) Online Services awards.

ALGIM is an online tool for information and resources designed to support best practise within government Information Communication Technology (ICT). ALGIM sets a benchmark for local government organisations – one that the communications teams involved with the Hamilton Ring Road have well and truly met.

“It was important to us that our communications had a relaxed, friendly feel to them,” Brandy comments of the method.

“This approach has played an important part in maintaining the loyalty and trust within the Downer online community.

16 Manchester Place “The project has been running for over two Te Rapa years, during which time we have seen Hamilton community support soar.

Waikato “Commuters and residents are well informed T (07) 849 1195 E iain.fletcher@downer.co.nz and they know they are being listened to the latter is key to maintaining Downer’s first E brandy.smith@downer.co.nz www.downer.co.nz class reputation and promoting commitment to the communities we work in.”

— Advertising Feature

Aerial view from above the new Carrs Rd Bridge

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“We believe it’s important for page users on sites like Facebook to establish a connection and trust with one person rather than feeling they are communicating with a business, or just another broadcast channel,” Brandy says.

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Opening day

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Hamilton; an economic powerhouse | McConnell Property

The PwC Centre – a landmark for Hamilton’s CBD The corner of Ward and Anglesea Streets in Hamilton’s CBD is poised for the opening of the $20 million PwC Centre; a five storey office and retail complex developed by McConnell Property.

The complex will incorporate a number of diverse tenants housed within the city’s newest central offering. The impressive aesthetic appeal of the PwC Centre, complete with 738 sqm of open space and café seating in the landscaped plaza, complements the prominent corner positioning perfectly, while retaining its purpose as a highly efficient workspace and retail centre.

The 5,300 sqm, grade A building is a testament to the future proofing McConnell Property strive to achieve with each commercial project. Working closely with Hawkins Construction, a member of the McConnell Group and a nationwide leader in the design and delivery of commercial building, the PwC Centre has received a four Green Star rating.

The New Zealand Green Building Council has commended McConnell Property for its

work developing the PwC Centre, with the inclusion of green building techniques that demonstrate a best practice outcome and a future-proofed building.

McConnell Property senior development manager, Aidan Donnelly says the results are spectacular.

“We are proud of the result thus far and look forward to delivering an efficient, healthy and productive work environment at the PwC Centre– something that tenants are increasingly focussed on. We have benefitted enormously from Hawkins' design management and build-ability experience.”

The PWC Centre will accommodate up to 400 staff and contains some exciting features that will support all tenants. The ground floor will house the retail portion of the six storey building, while four floors of office space will provide businesses the opportunity

to be located in a modern, efficient and sustainable building.

In fact, the tenants will be the first to benefit from the energy efficiency of the building with saving of between five to 10 percent per year. Due to the intelligent Green Star design, companies will make significant energy savings over time, Aidan says.

“We wanted certification because it provides certainty to the occupiers at the PwC Centre and they can take comfort that McConnell Property has delivered on what we said we would in terms of the building’s design and sensitivity to the location. As a result I think the PwC Centre will prove to be more flexible and adaptable to change and more productive for these businesses.”

Business synergy

THE GOOD BUGGERS IN INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

SUPPORTING HAMILTON CITY DEVELOPMENTS FOR OVER 25 YEARS 07 834 1514 • daniel@wscs.co.nz • 453 Anglesea St, Hamilton • www.wscs.co.nz

QUANTITY SURVEYORS AND CONSTRUCTION COST CONSULTANTS

• Feasibility Analysis • Cost Planning and Management • Contract Procurement • Contract Administration • Financial Institution Services • Life Cycle Costing • Other Specialist Services

Phone. 07 839 4635 www.kingstons.co.nz

30 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Forward thinking businesses require an intuitive setting to run at an optimum level and this requires a healthy work environment. The light infused PwC Centre features double glazing with high U-value and shading co-efficients, thermo mass panels and a fresh air VRV heat recovery system, enabling smart temperature control and transfer of energy within the building.

The building management system will monitor the energy use within the PwC Centre and with recycling facilities and convenient bicycle parking, the outcome will be a better operating environment for tenants as will visitors and shoppers.

“The striking building and the sunny north facing plaza will become a landmark for the CBD. Over 400 PwC Centre staff, 20,000 Wintec students and staff, and the Hamilton public will be able to enjoy the many benefits of these new and inspiring spaces.”

Built with the future in mind As a number of developers know, the commercial property market is a competitive place. McConnell Property and Hawkins Construction have been synonymous with major construction and land development projects in New Zealand for the last 50 years and the experience has helped them refine the art of constructing impressive structures.

Not only does a new build have to perform to stringent regulations and industry standards, it also needs to be appealing for occupiers, present and future tenants and visitors to the city. As McConnell Property continues to produce elite level commercial developments, it’s clear to see the benefit of the pre-development and planning stages implemented by the company to ensure standards are continually improved upon.

The PwC Centre adds to an already sterling portfolio for McConnell Property and will become a landmark for the Hamilton CBD that could kick-start a new wave of modernisation around the city centre.

Opening in August the PWC Building is an exciting outcome for the wider Hamilton community, which is set to transform the corner of Ward and Anglesea Streets.

Building opportunities in engineering and the trades Hamilton will soon be home to New Zealand’s most modern engineering and trades education facility.

Construction of the purpose built $25m trades and engineering building at the Wintec (Waikato Institute of Technology) Rotokauri campus in north Hamilton has begun. It is due to open in 2014 with people studying the disciplines of engineering and trades at the facility.

Wintec chief executive, Mark Flowers says there is a national need for trained and skilled engineering and trades people and a facility of this calibre will help lead the changes needed to address this.

Wintec, one of New Zealand’s leading institutes of technology, helps drive the development of a skilled workforce in New Zealand and around the world.

Are you interested in working at Wintec but the role in your profession hasn’t been advertised? Register at Careers Connect, via www.wintec.ac.nz/ jobs and find out about future employment opportunities at Wintec.

Are you ready to help produce work ready graduates with relevant industry skills?

“The facility will provide more opportunities for people to learn in an environment that better reflects industry standards and uses the latest techniques and technologies.

The Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) is one of New Zealand’s largest providers of vocational and professional education and is waiting for you to come on board.

“Its open plan design, exposed structures and flexible teaching spaces makes it a learning facility from every angle. People will be able to see what is going on inside it. Thanks to the staff and industry input into its design and functionality, it will be a vibrant learning environment, with technology that students of today and the future expect.”

As a lecturer / learning facilitator in Civil Engineering you will have the opportunity to work in an environment that is vibrant, combined with technologies that students of today and the future expect.

Engineering courses and the Waikato Centre for Industry Training, where industry groups can book spaces for training purposes, will be available in the facility from February next year. The School of Trades will move in later in the year.

Along with providing a state of the art facility for students and staff, it will open up employment opportunities for people in a range of fields including construction management, civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, and technical roles in engineering, maintenance engineering, electrical, automotive, heavy diesel automotive, fabrication/welding, carpentry and metal trades.

Wintec is currently recruiting for two lecturers/learning facilitators in civil engineering. The successful candidates will work out of the new facility. To find out more about these roles, see the following advertisment or visit www.wintec.ac.nz/jobs.

Since 2003, Wintec has spent more than $60m on its campus modernisation programme to provide students and staff with modern facilities and the best possible environment to learn the skills necessary to succeed in their industries.

Developments include the Gallagher Hub, the refurbishment of Wintec House and its marae, Te Kopu Mania o Kirikiriroa, on Wintec’s city campus, as well as the Rotokauri hub, an upgrade of the student training restaurant, Windows and a new entrance to the Rotokauri campus.

From 2014 Wintec will be opening a new Engineering and Trades facility at its Rotokauri campus in north Hamilton which will be one of the most modern facilities of its kind in the country.

Teaching on the Bachelor of Engineering Technology degree (BEngTech) and the New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (NZDE) (Civil), you will be covering topics in traffic and highways engineering, waste and water management, structural analysis and project management.

You’ll need a passion for sharing knowledge, have highly developed interpersonal and communication skills and a strong work ethos. While previous teaching experience is desirable, teacher training can be provided.

Keeping in touch with industry is important to Wintec, so as part of your role you’ll have the chance to engage in industry collaboration, lead or be part of research projects and participate in consultancy or industry secondments.

Ideally you will hold a tertiary degree and have relevant industry experience working on a range of Civil Engineering projects. You will also be familiar with New Zealand Standards and Codes of Practice.

There are two positions - one full time and one part time - available.

Joining the Wintec team, you’ll be helping to build a stronger community through education, research and ensuring our graduates are highly sought after by employers.

Apply now: http://wintec.ac.nz/jobs/

The engineering and trades project is one of the largest undertaken by Wintec in its campus modernisation programme.

Concept image of Wintec’s new trades and engineering facility due to open in 2014

Hamilton; an economic powerhouse | McConnell Property

Titanium Park – a multi-functional business district A joint venture between McConnell Property and Hamilton Airport, Titanium Park is New Zealand’s latest master planned business park that looks set to be a hub for commercial and industrial businesses.

The exciting collaboration between the country’s largest master plan developers and New Zealand’s second busiest airport will see a staged roll out of development to create a multi-functional business district.

Conveniently located between state highways 21 and 3, the proximity to the major travel routes in and around Hamilton makes the airport location ideal for a logistical and commercial industrial hub for large and small users. State highway 1 access is convenient and the proximity to the wider centres in the North Island is a key driver in the planning to date.

The development has a fast tracked consenting process for the ease of interested parties. With 24/7 operations the business park is rapidly establishing itself as the place

to do business in the Waikato for both owner-occupiers and tenants.

Titanium Park is substantially investing in new state of the art infrastructure and, as a development incentive to encourage new businesses into the park, there are no development contributions for new build tenants. In other locations, development contributions represent a major potential cost, where as at Titanium Park the saving is passed onto the end user in the form of more competitive pricing. This enables customers to invest into growing their operations on the park.

More than 800 people already are employed by businesses around the Titanium Park and airport, and this number is forecast to exceed 3,000 on the park’s completion. Stage One of Titanium Park is fully sold out and Torpedo 7 is establishing its head office and distribution centre on that land.

Stage Two, a commercial and industrial development around the perimeter of Hamilton International Airport, has been opened up with the sale and lease of sites.

The area, to be known as the Central Precinct, is on land adjacent to the airport terminal and has been planned as the hub of the greater business park.

Titanium Park at a glance • Flexible lot sizes – from 2000 sqm to 10ha plus, depending on business needs • Range of lot types – highway exposure, efficient freight movement or easy access to airport facilities • More efficiency and lower operating costs – there are no development contributions payable and the operating costs are significantly lower than elsewhere • High profile sites with fantastic exposure to the State Highways (20,000 v/p/day) and the profile to the airport and events such as NZ Fieldays

with office, light industrial, agri-business, warehousing, accommodation and retail servicing airport users.

The single ownership allows for flexible boundaries meaning lot sizes can be customised to meet occupants’ needs.

Future expansion plans can also be taken into account. The green field nature of the Central Precinct means that solutions can be tailor made to suit individual client needs. In addition to the option of buying bare land, there is also the opportunity to purchase design and build packages.

• Zoned, fully secured with high speed broadband and modem state of the art infrastructure • No council development contributions - and given the business zone, only a building consent is normally needed to establish, making it simple and easy to build • High quality solution designed to support business with flexible site and location options • Highly competitive pricing - Titanium Park offers the best value in the current market for the quality of the offer • Hi Spec Lighting provided energy saving LED street lighting.

Titanium Park McConnell Property Level 2, Viaduct Quay Building 204 Quay Street Auckland T (09) 374 3300 | 0800 TITANIUM (848 264) www.titaniumpark.co.nz McConnell Property Level 2, Viaduct Quay Building 204 Quay Street Auckland T (09) 374 3300 E reception@mcconnellproperty.co.nz www.mcconnellproperty.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Customised freehold landholdings of at least 2,000 sqm are now being released for sale or lease at market competitive rates. The Central Precinct is suitable for businesses wanting to be part of a thriving commercial centre

LED LIGHTING AND POLE INSTALLERS FOR TITANIUM PARK We offer a complete solution from the lighting design, to the installation of the poles and LED lights

Harkness Henry is a leading New Zealand law firm with a talented and committed pool of legal experts serving the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and beyond.

The firm is pleased and proud to have been associated with the McConnell Property Group and The Titanium Park Joint Venture in the development of Titanium Park and the City Gate building from their respective inceptions, and is confident the ventures will continue to enjoy every success.

Benefits are: safety, power savings, low maintenance and vivid colours (white light) at night

CALL NOW ON 0800 895155 Paul Middlemiss

or visit www.hispec.co.nz

harkness.co.nz ‘Proud to provide engineering, planning and surveying services to Titanium Park JV’ Please contact our friendly professionals for any of your project requirements.

Lynden Earl T (07) 838 2399 F (07) 839 4043 | KPMG Centre, 85 Alexandra St, Hamilton

32 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Engineers | Planners | Surveyors Level 5 | 18 London Street | Hamilton | 3240 [07] 838 0144 | 0800 BBO LTD [226 583] | www.bbo.co.nz

Property & Construction | Watts & Hughes Construction

Delivering diversity, quality and competency Watts & Hughes Construction Limited offers a wide range of construction management services throughout the country, from Auckland right the way down to Christchurch.

The company builds within a range of sectors, including industrial, recreational, retail, commercial, residential, educational, marine, government infrastructure and medical/health care.

New Hamilton staff Watts & Hughes Construction is a privately owned and managed construction company which was established in Auckland in 1984.

The company expanded into the Waikato and Bay of Plenty in early 2005 and now has branches in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne, Wellington and Christchurch.

The company offers a hands-on approach to all construction projects.

It employs more than 120 staff, with the vast experience of its staff ensuring each project is managed effectively.

Contracts manager Shane Rowse says while the company has always run a satellite office in Hamilton, it now has senior staff located permanently in the city and working full time from the office. They include senior estimator Steve Vaughn-Williams, senior quantity surveyor Mark Grant and contracts manager Tony Hunt.

“Our new local senior staff can attend to all client needs immediately in the Waikato region,” Shane says.

High quality construction Watts & Hughes takes clients through every step of the project, from initial design to completed construction and recognises that client requirements are of extreme importance.

Control and management of all projects is overseen by the directors, who ensure key people possess the technical excellence, experience and construction industry knowledge to get the job completed on time and to a high standard.

The company chooses every subcontractor carefully, particularly for design-build work.

Watts & Hughes Construction’s in-house quality control programmes ensure the highest standards of construction are maintained, while still keeping the project within timelines and budget controls.

The company’s achievements have resulted from careful planning and an awareness of the changing, complex nature of today’s construction projects and client needs.

Craftstone is NZ’s leading supplier & distributor of stone veneer cladding and is New Zealand’s only BRANZ Appraised Real Stone Veneer System Waikato Area License Available

Craftstone New Zealand Ltd phone 0800 63 8899 fax 09 447-3919 email sales@craftstone.co.nz

www.craftstone.co.nz

34 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

“

Without good and reliable subcontractors, completing projects for our clients on budget to the highest quality on time is extremely difficult.

”

- CONTRACTS MANAGER, SHANE ROWSE

By adopting and implementing robust company policies in the areas of project methodology, quality assurance, health and safety and environmental control, Watts & Hughes Construction is able to offer clients the confidence that their design build and construction projects will be professionally managed from start to finish.

Focussing on the client Client satisfaction is the foremost priority for Watts & Hughes Construction.

The company’s services have an ongoing commitment to providing exceptional quality of design and construction that exceeds its clients’ requirements All the staff are committed to meeting every client’s requirements through regular communication.

Directors Craig Watts, Mark Gutry, Peter Wilkinson and Rob Murphy are fully involved in every aspect of their business and are always available to talk to clients and make decisions quickly.

The company ensures clients receive regular communications concerning progress and if they need answers fast, they can contact a Watts & Hughes director.

Property & Construction | Watts & Hughes Construction The $9 million Bridge Street Countdown in Hamilton was built with a suspended post-tension concrete floor.

Unique construction method Watts & Hughes Construction has considerable experience in building supermarkets and has recently finished another high quality Countdown in Bridge Street, Hamilton.

Shane Rowse has overseen the construction of more than a dozen Countdowns since 2006, but says the Bridge Street project wasn’t typical. The $9 million Bridge Street Countdown was built with a suspended post-tension concrete floor, which is a building technique not used widely, though seems to be coming back.

Major Waikato projects Watts & Hughes Construction has completed many significant projects in the central North Island in recent years.

“We’re a large commercial company with no project to big or too small,” Shane says.

Other Watts & Hughes Construction projects include: • Countdown Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North - $6.1 million • Countdown Tawa, Wellington $8.5 million • Tainui Group Holdings Office, Bryce Street, Hamilton - $2.3 million • II Casio Apartments, Wellington $15.5 million • Taupo AC Baths Refurbishment, Stages 1&2 - $4 million • Bay of Plenty Cricket Pavilion, Tauranga - $2 million

The project involved clearing the existing Countdown site and existing store and replacing it with a new underground precast concrete basement containing the staff offices, staff car parking and a larger retail floor above with the latest Countdown colour scheme and layout.

The building stands out with its high exterior exposed aggregate and painted decorative precast panels, and features DRC-type precast panels which have the city layout cast into the exposed aggregate panels.

It was led by site manager Martin Kelly, who ensured that the day to day running of the project went seamlessly, while foreman Cameron Young assisted Martin with the detailed fit-out of the interior of the store.

A successful job The Countdown project was supported by a good and solid base of local subcontractors, who have assisted with a number of Watts & Hughes Construction’s major projects.

“Without good and reliable subcontractors, completing projects for our clients on budget to the highest quality on time is extremely difficult,” Shane says.

“There were some significant design changes that resulted in a delayed completion by two months. These involved a change in foundation design and methodology and we had to install some additional storm water retention tanks, which was a council requirement.”

However, once a new completion date was set, the project continued and met the agreed deadline. Work on the new Bridge Street Countdown took 11 months to complete, with the project finishing in mid-March and Countdown opening for business on April 9.

• The Strand, Tauranga - $2.3 million

• Assisting with budget control • Offering a broad range of construction techniques • Setting efficient timelines the company will adhere to • Overcoming or offsetting potential construction period difficulties.

Watts & Hughes Construction PO Box 11165 Mt Maunganui T (07) 547 4074 E wbop@whconstruction.co.nz www.whconstruction.co.nz — Advertising Feature

www.graphicglass.co.nz | 0800 660 001

• Otumoetai School reclad, Tauranga $510,000 • TKKM School Refurbishment, Gisborne $4.2 million.

• Demolition • Concrete Recyclers • Truck & Digger Hire • Reclaimed Materials Sales • Crushed Aggregate Suppliers

Watts & Hughes Construction can help clients with all of their construction issues from the initial concept and design, including:

Richard Orman builders was proud to be associated with Watts and Hughes on this project.

Working as a team to create a successful job for the client is very important to us both at Watts and Hughes and Orman builders.

[p] 07 849 9997 [f] 07 849 9996

Proud to be part of Bridge Street Countdown Building, Hamilton with Watts & Hughes

Richard Orman 021 2477791 www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 35

Property & Construction | Pyroclassic Fires

Hot stuff “We make the cleanest, most efficient wood fire, full stop.”

“The original developers of the product would make just a few at a time and did everything by hand. They eventually sold the business on to someone already in the heating industry and then I took it on a couple of years ago.”

Mankind discovered fire more than 1.6 million years ago, then in the 1970s, we discovered the modern answer to cleaner burning and more efficient and economical fire – in the form of the Pyroclassic.

The Pyroclassic fully came into its own and set itself apart from its industrial counterparts when the Government started looking more closely at clean air regulations.

History Pyroclassic’s current owner and operator, Richard Chalmers, says the history of the Pyroclassic fire is based around scientific creativity and innovation.

“When the Pyroclassic was engineered by scientists in Wellington in the late seventies, it turned into a viable basis for a business.

“The development was also right on the cusp of the environmentalist movement of the eighties, which further increased the Pyroclassic’s popularity as people became more sensitive to their environment.

“The model was already in a league of its own, but when the industry benchmark was set, it was really able to prove itself in this context, rather than just on the basis of its great reputation, which was being shared through word of mouth,” Richard explains.

There’s no second questioning that the Pyroclassic is a commercial chart topper; consistently making top consumer lists again and again.

Sold in more than 50 stores across New Zealand and to a growing network in Australia, the Pyroclassic has also been approved for the United Kingdom and Europe – indicating that world domination isn’t far off.

“The future is bright,” Richard confirms of the business’ journey from here.

“The fact that the model has been around so long and it looks and feels the same now as it did way back when, gives our customers real confidence in the product. There are many Pyroclassic customers now who are motivated to buy one because they grew up with one themselves.

“The Pyroclassic really is the best at what it does and we’re yet to come across any negative feedback. Once you have got a Pyroclassic, it’s hard to go back to anything else.”

An Esse Ironheart in Charcoal painted finish.

<

It’s a fire that has stood the test of time for decades and it’s made with love in the Hawke’s Bay. Hand crafted and engineered in a way that allows the fire to fulfill its full potential, the Pyroclassic is warming hearts and homes all around the country.

Nuts and bolts The Pyroclassic provides homes with up to 15kW of both radiant and convection heating direct into a space that can be up to 200 to 250 square metres or 2,500 square feet.

It can provide enough hot water for the most heavily populated of households and can act as an alternative cooking base too.

With more than 40 kilograms of ceramic heat storage capacity, it has the ability to recover masses of excess heat generated by a hot, bright fire inside its thick cylindrical fire chamber. It is this feature of the Pyroclassic that gives it the ability to release heat into homes all night, every night.

Most conventional fires are built around a welded metal box, which has some type of heat storage bricks inside. These metal boxes often become stressed every time they heat up and cool down, which means they can become cracked or fractured over time.

Conversely, the Pyroclassic has a unique system that does not result in these pressures.

The fire is fully enclosed in the ceramic cylinder, which has a 6mm steel front and back plates bolted each at end.

EASTCOAST POWDERCOATERS

Proudly associated with Pyroclassic Fires Ltd

These hold the cylinder in suspension and then 10mm steel top plates sit on a floating gasket. This structure enables all three steel surfaces to expand and contract without any stress or tension being placed on any part of the unit.

The system’s air controls are all fully automatic and the fire effectively controls the rate at which oxygen is supplied to the wood fuel, allowing it to maintain the right burn temperatures, meaning the glass stays clean throughout the burn cycle.

Pyroclassic accessories Combination raised hearth Because it meets all clearances required for a Pyroclassic IV, the raised hearth can be used as a direct replacement for a traditional insulated tile hearth. The hearth is 250mm, which raises the Pyroclassic to an even more user-friendly height – supporting ease of reloading the fire and using the cooking surface.

Cook top oven The oven is designed to fit straight on to the top plate surface. Made of rippled aluminum this accessory will give users more control over some of the cooking processes. With an inbuilt thermostat, the oven gives users the autonomy to control the temperature to ensure an optimal cooking environment.

The log rack The log rack is designed to be used in ahome next to the fire. Like the woodpin, it will also hold a large number of logs meaning there is less getting up and down time to reload it.

Finished in a tough ripple back powder coat, it looks smart year after year.

TONY RICKARD 106 KELFIELD PLACE, HASTINGS PHONE: 06 879 4175 FAX: 06 879 4174

DSK Engineering offer full design, machining, fabrication and installation Proud to be a supplier to Pyroclassic Fires Ltd. CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS AND BEST OF LUCK FOR THE FUTURE

PO Box 13051, Hastings, New Zealand | telephone (06) 872 7033

36 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

WWW.DSK.CO.NZ

Property & Construction | Pyroclassic Fires

“

The Pyroclassic is fantastic, we have had only positive comments from our respective families and friends regarding its look and heat output. The warmth factor is great (excellent for drying all the baby clothes!) and we have found the house to be noticeably dryer. The fire is also very efficient in fuel consumption compared to our previous burner.

Thanks again.

- P Doherty, Christchurch

An Esse 500plus1 in Cream.

<

<

An old open fireplace with a White Knight Fire on Mini Raised box and Woodbin.

“

I just had to let you know how warm and happy we are. We are absolutely thrilled with our first. It’s so much more than we expected – great heat and so user friendly! You guys are very clever, the design is so efficient. Our house is a 1920s bungalow and it has never been so toasty.

Please pass on our praise to your team.

- B&S Flack, Dunedin

”

”

The 3.7 kW wetback is located in the upper chamber of the fire to ensure it sits clear of the combustion zone and maximizes the heat generated by the model.

Featuring a 10mm thick steel top plate, it is possible to cook, boil the kettle, slow cook a casserole, roast and bake bread.

Pretty practical What’s practical isn’t always pretty- but when it comes to the Pyroclassic - it ticks both those boxes, among others.

The philosophy at Pyroclassic is change your mood, change your colour and your Pyroclassic can change with you.

The Pyroclassic IV (the latest model) can be fitted with coloured panels and there is a kaleidoscope of colours to choose from – more than 150 in fact. From Tickle Pink, right through to Antique Steel, the options are multitudinous and can complement a wide range of interior décor.

Those who would like to experiment with the colours and look of the Pyroclassic can do so on the website at www.pyroclassic.co.nz

When your business has a first class reputation, it is a significant decision to align yourself with another brand.

This alignment needs to be based on trust, loyalty and comparable strategic goals. The relationship between Pyroclassic and its strategic partner Pivot Stove and Heating represents all of these things.

It is a mutually beneficial relationship built on a foundation of trust and compatible commercial value systems. “We were keen to introduce the Pyroclassic into the Australian market and in return we took on running the New Zealand arm of Pivot here,” Richard says.

“Pivot very much fits with our business and like many great decisions, the decision to collaborate was made between myself and Pivot’s owner over a beer.”

Pivot has been a heating specialist since 1876 and has a presence in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The business’ inception coincided with the now iconic Parker family’s venture into stove making in 1857 and today Pivot is a leader within the heating industry.

The single deep oven features a unique firebox glass door, cast iron heat shielded firebox over the door, a unique ring style hot plate, and an enameled finish. It will heat up to 6+ Kw and is designed for homes where space is precious.

Like the Pyroclassic, Pivot Stove’s products are second to none and can be viewed on the website below.

“

We enjoyed the use of our Pyroclassic Wood burner during the winter of 2009 and are looking forward to the coming winter. The warmth it creates in our home is completely satisfactory and is achieved using much less wood than our old fire did.

Additionally, the burner was regularly used for cooking meals on its large hotplate top and this saved electricity costs. We thoroughly recommend this modern, well designed and efficient wood burner.

- A & M Campbell, Taupo

”

Pyroclassic Fires 917 Karamu Road Hastings T (06) 877 0175 www.pyroclassic.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Powdercoating and Bright Zinc Electroplating

Specialising in heating and cooking appliances for the last 135 years, it offers cookers, hydronic boilers, pizza ovens and outdoor heating options.

Curran Metal coating specialists are proud to support Pyroclassic Fires with our high quality powdercoating and electroplating service.

The New Zealand division was established in 2007 and includes the Pivot range of wood stoves and wood boilers. Pivot’s Esse500plus1 Wood Stove is an award winning stove and is defined as a small, compact “bakers style stove” built to the highest quality.

Metal Coating Specialists Shopfitting Manufacturers www.tumutimbers.co.nz

An Antique Steel Fire on a Traditional Tiled Hearth.

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The Pyroclassic is the cleanest fire approved by councils throughout New Zealand and with a wetback installed and a ‘north-south’ oriented construction, it can burn overnight and allows logs as long as 450mm to be placed inside the fire chamber.

Pivot Stove and Heating

618 Omahu Rd Hastings Ph: 06 878 5804 Fax: 06 878 5643 Email: info@curran.co.nz www.curran.co.nz

Our manufacture method is unique in the new Zealand industry, which provides a close tolerance straight fit every time, ensuring a long lasting system that is second to none.

We supply flue system parts and components, for gas and wood burning heating systems.

100% New Zealand Owned and operated, is proudly associated with Pyroclassic Fires Ltd.

www.theflueshop.co.nz

63 Montgomery Crescent, UPPER HUTT Contact: (04) 526 96 94 • sales@theflueshop.co.nz www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 37

Property & Construction | D.R. (Jack) Gray Ltd

Covering anyone’s painting needs For more than 56 years D.R. (Jack) Gray Ltd has grown into one of Taranaki’s largest and most successful painting contractors. The firm now covers a full range of painting services for industrial, commercial and domestic requirements.

Founded in 1956 by the late Jack Gray, the company is owned and operated by his son Tony Gray, who has continued his father’s practice of standing behind the quality of his workmanship. In keeping with family traditions Tony’s son, Nathan Gray joined the company in October 2007 and in 2011 Nathan became manager of the Hawera branch.

D.R. (Jack) Gray services • Interior and exterior painting • Wallpapering • Textured ceiling and walls • Muraflex finishes • Industrial and commercial protective coating • Flake flooring • Autex composition application • Waterproofing membranes.

Tony Gray and Jack Gray.

Tony Gray’s history with painting dates back to his school days, when he spent holidays painting for his father. He later left school and joined the business permanently. Tony also recognises the importance of doing a professional job in order to ensure his business maintains its reputation for quality work. This is evident by the fact that many local building firms have retained the services of D.R. (Jack) Gray for its finishing work.

The company now employs 23 full time staff in Hawera and 18 in the New Plymouth store, which was opened three years ago and is where Tony’s now based. Office manager, Donna Henderson has been with the business for 26 years and says it has been a privilege to watch the business gain a firm reputation, building on its success.

“The company has a history of guaranteeing its work. Jack Gray was known and committed to providing a quality service and was one of the only painters back in the 1950s to guarantee his work. Jack’s professional attitude paid off and the business has never been short of work.

“

The company has a history of guaranteeing its work. Jack Gray was known and committed to providing a quality service and was one of the only painters back in the 1950s to guarantee his work.

”

“Muralflex has also been applied to many cowsheds throughout Taranaki and the Waikato region for the last 30 years. The big advantage of using Muralflex is that it is resistant to water, weather and abrasion.

The tough coating is also easy to clean, which is what makes it so popular with farmers,” she says.

Tony Gray and his staff also work on new construction, renovations and contract maintenance. The business is a member of the Registered Master Painters’ Association and is an accredited Site Safe business. The business is based in New Plymouth and Hawera, with the Hawera branch also operating a retail “Jack started his painting business with one other painter and saw business expand rapidly outlet - Resene Colourshop, at 91 Glover Road. through the 1960s and 1970s, now Tony is committed to the business and his hard work has certainly paid off,” Donna explains.

D.R. (Jack) Gray specialises in the application of Muralflex colour and texture spray surfaces, with the business using this application on many dairy factories in the Taranaki and surrounding areas.

D.R. (Jack) Gray Ltd 97 Camberwell Road Hawera T (06) 278 0129 New Plymouth 11 / 55 Rimu Street New Plymouth T (06) 757 8012 M 027494 6888 E thepainters@xtra.co.nz www.thepainters.co.nz

Ph. 06 769 6866 | www.brentstewart.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

McCallum & Dallas Ltd Proud to support D.R. (Jack) Gray Ltd. Stores: 297 Devon St East, New Plymouth 06 757 5699 40 Union St, Hawera 06 278 4239 38 Mclean St, Waitara 06 754 7196 406 Broadway, Stratford 06 765 7488

www.guthriebowron.co.nz 38 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Chartered Accountants We are proud to be associated with D.R. (Jack) Gray Ltd

At McCallum and Dallas we understand that people are unique, businesses are unique, and your situation is unique. To this end we are dedicated to providing timely, accurate solutions tailored to suit individual needs. We will work alongside you with the aim of not only solving problems that arise, but helping you reach your financial goals.

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Property & Construction | Stewart Browne Electrical

A total electrical service Forty years in business has seen Stewart Browne Electrical Limited grow into a trusted and valued company in the Bay of Plenty, a status that continues under its new ownership.

New owner same great service Stewart Browne Electrical Limited was formed as a family business by Stewart Browne in 1972. It has since evolved into a large company employing about 40 staff, while still maintaining those core family values.

The company was purchased by Horizon Energy Distribution Limited last December.

Horizon, based in Whakatane, is the network asset owner which distributes electricity to more than 24,600 residential and business customers in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

The business offers security systems, CCTV, access controls, audio visual solutions, home theatre, gate automation, intercom, phone distribution, data and fibre networking and fire and security.

It comprises a unique team of specialists who provide cost-effective engineered solutions, ongoing product support and maintenance programmes.

Through its heating division, Stewart Browne Electrical can supply and install a range of heating options, including heat pumps, under-tile heating, positive air pressure systems and panel heaters.

Underground services Karla says a major focus for Stewart Browne Electrical during the coming months is its underground services work, which was established in 1988. It involves the installation of power, water and telephone services for industrial, commercial, domestic, builders’ temporary power supply, subdivisions and street lighting.

Stewart Browne Electrical offers a 24/7 callout service, which includes: • Service and repairs to a wide range of commercial equipment • Domestic repairs to power supplies • Appliance repairs and testing • Preventative maintenance and service agreements

“We’re looking at our service side, which is our underground work connecting people’s houses to the power network, as well as our data and security network,” she says.

• Test and certification of equipment for commercial and industrial sites

General manager contracting, Karla Meharry says it’s business as usual at Stewart Browne Electrical, “although we have been aligning the businesses with a number of the Horizon policies and procedures, including health and safety management, financial reporting and inventory management.

“We’re going to look at where we can align and create more collaboration between Horizon and Stewart Browne in the Bay of Plenty.”

• Electric blanket testing

A history of success

• Surge protection

“Stewart Browne is still very involved and still has a lot of input into the business. He was successful for over 40 years and it is key to us that this continues and we remain consistent.”

Stewart Browne Electrical is also heavily involved in the installation of fibre into schools.

• Data and security service.

Stewart Browne Electrical has the skills and capabilities to meet all electrical needs, including domestic, commercial, industrial, security and sound, underground installations, heating solutions and manufacturing. The company prides itself on offering turnkey electrical solutions.

In addition to its core residential, commercial and industrial wiring work, Stewart Browne Electrical has diversified over the years and in 2000 Stewart Browne Security Systems was formed.

• Electrical inspections • Retailer metering • Commercial crane servicing • Emergency light certifications • Deep well pumps • Work carried out by a Site safe member

The customer is paramount The success of Stewart Browne Electrical Limited during 40 years can be attributed to its commitment to quality and customer service.

“I think there’s been a huge drive by Stewart Browne to look after and value customers,” Karla says.

“It’s about customer relationships and ensuring that we meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. That’s one of the stand-out features of the company, as well as its range of diverse services.”

Stewart Browne Electrical Limited 69 St John Street Tauranga T (07) 578 0457 www.stewartbrowne.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Its portfolio of successfully completed projects includes The Hub in Cameron Road, Tauranga, the Sovereign Pier housing development on the waterways at Whitianga, the Papamoa Library and the exclusive Eleven apartment building in Mt Maunganui.

Also worthy of note is its work on units in the Ryman Health Village, the ANZ Building on the corner of Cameron Road and Elizabeth Street, Ballance Storage Complex and more than 6000 homes and 25 multi-unit apartment blocks in the Bay of Plenty.

Electrical Engineers, Manufacturers and Merchants We are proud to be associated with Stewart Browne Electrical and be a supplier to many of their large projects in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

38 Northway Street, Te Rapa, Hamilton Phone. 07-850 9977 Fax. 07-850 9941 Email. gael@wave.co.nz

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 39

Property & Construction | Taranaki Civil Construction

The big players in Taranaki’s civil construction game The rule of thumb in life is that you can’t judge a book by its cover – well, the same applies in business.

Mulligan oversee 46 staff that play an integral role in the efficiency of the organisation.

“We definitely had humble beginnings,” Simon confirms. “But today we have a skilled and dedicated staff base with 120 items of equipment, which includes trucks and mobile machinery.”

This sentiment is certainly applicable in the case of one New Zealand business whose humble beginnings and seemingly simple structure well and truly belied the incredible scope and potential that lay in store for its owners.

The story of Taranaki Civil Construction Limited is compelling – and not because it’s sensational, or full of euphemisms. Quite the contrary – it’s full of authenticity and integrity – two qualities that have remained a core part of the business’ repertoire since it started out with just a couple of staff and a digger and truck.

The company also has truck and trailer units, rollers, diggers, graders and utilities.

Working the Taranaki region from Wanganui to Te Kuiti, Taranaki Civil Construction continues to diversify its professional portfolio working with public and private sector organisations across the business board.

“Increasing and improving our diversity is definitely my key role in the business, as is managing the overall operation and workload and taking care of the administration,” Simon says.

“Shayne works closely with our crews and the plant equipment to ensure our work is as streamlined as possible. We work very closely as a team.

The evolution

“All our plant equipment is also company Taranaki Civil Construction is a leading supplier owned and we have two full time mechanical staff and one full time engineer supporting in roading, drainage, earthworks and chip this equipment. We often purchase high sealing work in the New Plymouth and quality but secondhand equipment, which Greater Taranaki area. also enables us to keep costs down.

The company was incorporated in 2004 and “We ensure our dollar goes a long way and is run by two individuals who commit a in this industry, it’s not about pretty, it’s unique skill set and knowledge to its day about practical. Equipment like ours, brand to day operation. new or otherwise, doesn’t sit pretty for long,” Simon Mulligan was working for a multiSimon quips. national company in an engineering and This team at Taranaki Civil Construction roading capacity prior to the inception of is one that has been carefully and Taranaki Civil Construction and brought ten considerately fostered to ensure the years’ experience to the business.

Taranaki Civil Construction working culture Co-owner Shayne Bunn had a background of is as conducive to a successful working 20 years in the industry and together, he and environment as possible.

“

Having a staff base that is highly skilled is very important to us. We have developed our employees’ skills to such an extent that we have very minimal need to hire external subcontractors.

- SIMON MULLIGAN

“Having a staff base that is highly skilled is very important to us. We have developed our employees’ skills to such an extent that we have very minimal need to hire external subcontractors.

Attacking difficult jobs is also about diversifying its skill set. About 18 months ago Taranaki Civil Construction started spraying is own liquid bitumen which is a unique skill to have taken on board.

“Our staff are the backbone of our business. They have helped us to develop from being an owner operated company to a company that can compete with multinationals.”

Ensuring that the company’s has a broad skill set has also ensured that it not only survived, but continued to flourish during the turbulent economic times of the past several years.

Shayne adds, “We have been able to attract employees that are experts in the field of construction so we can attack difficult jobs and deliver projects on time and to budget.”

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“It is important that you are able to evolve and be flexible when the industry needs you to be. We continue to diversify our offering to ensure that if work dries up in once particular sector or area, we can turn our hand to another,” Simon explains.

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Property & Construction | Taranaki Civil Construction

The retention of the majority of its work also ensures Taranaki Civil Construction has a streamlined process of which continuity and consistency are the key characteristics.

“We derive 90 percent of our work through competitive tender processes. We are pre-qualified by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for its work, as well as other local councils including New Plymouth District Council, South Taranaki District Council, Taranaki Regional Council and Stratford District Council.

“We live and breathe what we do and because of that fact, we are able to be very flexible and come up with new and unique methodologies for our clients.”

Because the company also keeps most of its work in-house, it is also able to offer costcompetitive services.

“By completing our own projects and utilising our own resources, in terms of staff and equipment, we were able to stop what becomes a sizable proportion of funds leaving the business.

A unique challenge Business in the Taranaki region is a unique challenge. As a geographically isolated area from the rest of the North Island, it is reliant on its key GDP drivers – dairy and petrochemical.

Work in the area revolves closely around these sectors and is inspired by large scale public and private sector projects, including infrastructure based works and residential and commercial developments.

The industries Taranaki Civil Construction is integrally involved with are often at the mercy of extenuating factors like climate – both fiscal and natural, but its resilience in the face of adversity propels the company forward.

“We embrace challenges and the weather can be a tough one for us. If it’s too hot, too cold, too wet or too dry, it can impact our project and timeframes. Likewise, the economic environment can challenge our business and our broader industry too.

“We are very proud of our proficiency across many different skill set areas and the fact that we can take a project from concept through to creation.”

Taranaki Civil Construction’s services

It is this capability that has rightfully earned the business a strong industry-wide reputation, one that Simon says is defined by loyalty - loyalty that works both ways with its clients.

• Stormwater (concrete – PVC)

“Our proposition to our clients is very straightforward - we are here for the long haul and we will be here even during the tough times.”

• Water reticulation (project undertaken for South Taranaki District Council)

This commitment exists between Simon, Shayne and their staff too. “Our staff base has really been consistent since about 2009 and we are proud to say that prospective staff actually reach out to us.

• Wastewater (Waitara to New Plymouth Sewer Line)

“At Taranaki Civil Construction we know and value the fact that our staff want to be treated like a member of a strong team – they want to be known by their name and not just their employee number.”

• Energy (Stratford Peaker Project)

• Roading (roading – compaction)

• Subdivisions (Fernbrook Stage One and Two and Morley 400 Ltd in Kawaroa, New Plymouth)

• Transport (transportation of equipment – carting of metal)

“

We are very proud of our proficiency across many different skill set areas and the fact that we can take a project from concept through to creation.

- SIMON MULLIGAN

”

• Chipseal (bitumen)

Heavy Machinery Services

• Domestic (tennis courts – topsoil)

• Rural (tanker tracks – lime fines – race tracks – grader hire) • Structures (flood damage – gabion baskets and box culverts).

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www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 41

Property & Construction | Taranaki Civil Construction

Projects The scope and nature of your projects, like the organisations you work with, are always testament to your professional caliber.

Taranaki Civil Construction is a company whose portfolio contains palpable examples of how unwavering commitment, dedication and loyalty, pays dividends over time.

From the trickiest of tasks, to the most demanding of working conditions, this is a company that has done it all – and then some.

Fernbrook – stage one A New Plymouth subdivision made up of nine sections across 5.5 hectares, Fernbrook is located off Huatoki Street and has engaged the skills of Taranaki Civil Construction.

The company is currently working on stage four of an approximately three year, seven stage and 120 section residential subdivision in New Plymouth.

It is taking care of the entire infrastructure within the subdivision. “We have had a tangible presence on site for 18 months now and we will likely be there for at least another 18 months.

NZTA South Taranaki area wide pavement treatment Taranaki Civil Construction recently completed an extensive area wide pavement treatment in South Taranaki that covered a range of upgrade works from Opunaka, Hawera, Waverly and Wanganui.

The contract was awarded to the company by NZTA in October 2012 following a competitive tender process and included 30,000 square metres of pavement construction, first coat sealing and other miscellaneous works.

If this technical lingo isn’t your day to day speak, you might be scratching your head a little. In short, area wide pavement treatments are structural pavement treatments applied to substantial lengths of roads, including large areas requiring dig-out and replacement, or recycling.

Storm damage contract for New Plymouth District Council Following tumultuous weather in the region in March 2012, Taranaki Civil Construction was contracted for extensive repairs caused by prolonged stormy weather.

Work included culvert renewal, implementing retaining walls and rock protection within the water ways.

“We are just about to commence stage four of this significant project and it is most definitely an achievement for little old New Plymouth!” Mulligan says.

• It is owned and operated by Simon Mulligan and Shayne Bunn • There are 46 staff involved with the company – each specialising in a key discipline

Taranaki Civil Construction was also involved with the development of a picturesque and exclusive seaside subdivision settlement on one of central New Plymouth’s most desirable areas of land. The 7862 square metre area is the development project of its owners Morley 400 Ltd.

AUTO PAINTERS

• Taranaki Civil Construction, also known as TCC, is a major player in Taranaki’s infrastructural market – it specialises in roading, highway construction and underground facilities including gas, water, wastewater and electrical pipes.

It is also does retaining walls, curb and channeling and concrete work.

• Taranaki Civil Construction was incorporated in 2004

Morley 400 Ltd

CLARRY O’BYRNE

Quick company facts

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• The company works with private and public sector companies and is prequalified for work with New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and local Councils including New Plymouth District Council, South Taranaki District Council, Taranaki Regional council and Stratford District Council.

Tanalised Timber Specialists

Waiwhakaiho River stop bank Taranaki Civil Construction won and completed the contract for stop bank work. The work was both challenging and fulfilling and involved raising stopbanks along the Waiwhakaiho River at The Valley as part of a project to improve flood defences.

Stage 1 of the three stage, $1.5 million Taranaki Regional Council project commenced in February 2011 and involved: • Raising the earth stopbank between Constance Street and Vickers Road, with a retaining wall constructed along a 120 meter section to avoid encroaching into the river channel • Increasing the height of rock-filled baskets (gabion baskets) upstream of Constance Street, and between Vickers Road and the mouth of the Mangaone Stream.

“The work will raise the level of the stopbank by between 0.5m and 1.5m along the entire section,” Taranaki Regional Council rivers manager, John Philpott said of the work at the time.

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P O BOX 109 Inglewood 4347 Tel: 06 756 6080 • Fax: 06 756 6085 www.tccl.co.nz • email: admin@tccl.co.nz • ROADING • DRAINAGE • SEALING • DRILLING • BULK CARTAGE • SUBDIVISIONS • TANKER TRACKS • DRIVEWAYS • ENTRANCEWAYS • TENNIS COURTS • TOPSOIL

42 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Property & Construction | Taranaki Civil Construction

in 2007 and work to lay the rising main and gravity main section beginning in October 2011.

The world involved welding together 15 metre lengths of black polyethylene pipe to form a continuous roll without joins and leaks. The pipe is robust enough to bear the brunt of mother nature in an earthquake and has an operation life of at least 80 yards with scope to take on Urenui and Onaero’s sewerage in the future.

The pipe laid had the biggest diameter and longest length of any laid in the Taranaki region for some time and Taranaki Civil Construction developed a training programme for its staff so it could take care of the pipe welding work in house.

Twin box culvert

“The objective is to increase the level of protection from a one in 50 year flood to a one in 100 year flood. We’ve also taken into account the impact of climate change over the next 50 years.”

Taranaki Civil Construction worked closely with the council to devise a schedule that was designed to minimise the impact on traffic along Rifle Range Road, but some disruption was inevitable.

Stratford Peaker Project One of the biggest jobs Taranaki Civil Construction has tackled to date was carrying out the site works and laying the utilities for Contact Energy at its Peaker Power Plant project – a gas fired power station near Stratford in Taranaki.

In January 2009, construction work began on the new $250 million station. The Stratford plant can go from cold to full load in 10 minutes flat.

The project has critical and fundamental advantages for New Zealanders as it represents a secure supply of electricity for the country – a role it has successfully fulfilled since it came on stream in winter of 2010.

Waitara to New Plymouth polyethylene wastewater pipe The Waitara to New Plymouth polyethylene wastewater pipe project commenced near Bell Block in late 2011.

“

Taranaki Civil Construction is a company whose portfolio contains palpable examples of how unwavering commitment, dedication and loyalty, pays dividends over time.

”

The project totaled $4.2 million and represented an integral part of a $37 million project designed to revolutionise the existing sewerage system servicing Waitara.

The system connects with the upgraded New Plymouth Wastewater Treatment Plant and was a welcome addition to the Waitara community.

The new system enables sewage to be treated at the plant with the solids extracted and dried in a thermal drying unit before being discharged as treated effluent tout see visa an existing outfall pipeline.

The scope of this project was extensive with planning and design work commencing

One of the projects Taranaki Civil Construction has been most proud of was the construction of a twin box culvert on Skeet Road between Kapuni and Auroa for the South Taranaki District Council.

A culvert is a drain or pipe that allows water to flow under a railroad, trail, road or similar obstruction and differ from bridges because of their size and the methodology of their construction. They are typically surrounded by soil.

Following tumultuous weather condition in August 2010, part of the Mangawhereoiti Stream flooded, which caused the culvert to shift. The consequence of this shift was a massive crack in the road.

In stormy winter weather, Taranaki Civil Construction successfully completed the twinboxed culvert on time. The crew used a crane to lay the 24 concrete boxes each measuring four metres by two metres.

These 11 tonne boxes were laid with great care so they fit together like giant pieces of Lego.

“We also want to compete successfully within the construction industry by forming a great team of workers who can tackle any construction activity.”

To ensure the safety of residents, road users and to protect the Waimate West Water Supply, the affected part of Skeet Road was closed.

The South Taranaki District Council responded quickly to design a new and improved culvert and tendered the contract to Taranaki Civil Construction.

Work involved realigning and straightening the stream and building wing walls to prevent erosion, as well installing a new and wider culvert.

Contractor manager Blair Gorrie says the company was asked to complete the work within a very short timeframe of four to six weeks – with zero lead-time. This is because the work was urgent and no one could use the road until it was completed.

“We also had to deal with a water main, which was a vital feeder to the Waimate west water supply. We had to put in a 300 bypass line with T-junctions and we had to do this in just four hours.”

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The shaping of things to come

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www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 43

RR Property & Construction | Taranaki Civil Construction

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The TCC difference There’s no doubt the civil construction industry is a challenging and certainly competitive one. New Zealand’s commercial landscape is highly populated with efficient organisations, so to have a redeeming feature and quality – or many of them – is an important part of any operation.

Lucky for Taranaki Civil Construction – it has many of these redeeming qualities. But in fact, luck has nothing to do with it. Because in good business, luck has no role to play – only strategy, perseverance, tenacity and capability are players in this game.

Taranaki Civil Construction is a company that takes pride in its humble beginnings and its significant growth since inception. It is a company with corporate capabilities and a traditional heart.

“We like to be known as being capable among our clients and among the wider industry,” Simon Mulligan confirms.

“What we are offering is a one-stop shop, which enables us to compete with a range of different companies – those smaller and larger than us.”

Simon is also proud of the fact that the business has a strong family feel to it, which sets it apart from many others competing in the same commercial arena.

“Because we are a family orientated and local company, we are also able to bring a more personal touch to what we do. This also means money coming in stays within the Taranaki area.”

Taranaki Civil Construction Limited 10 Tarata Road Inglewood T (06) 756 6080 E admin@tccl.co.nz www.tccl.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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Agribusiness | NZ Meat Industry

New Zealand’s meat industry a case study in adaptation The meat industry in New Zealand has represented an immeasurably valuable GDP driver for the country for more than 130 years, since the first exports of frozen meat headed to the United Kingdom.

Its presence keenly felt both here and abroad has been the traditional backbone of New Zealand, both economically and culturally.

programme indicates the entire red meat industry is on track progressing towards a brighter future.

lower prices, I am confident this scheme could mean we do not face such dire seasons in the future.”

The journey of the industry’s evolution to become what it is today, while challenged by drought and volatile market conditions, is progressive by its very nature.

“This PGP will provide a huge amount of investment in ways farmers can directly increase their productivity and returns through their own efforts, so it is very heartening that Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s co-funding resolution was supported.

The PGP will fund research into what improvements on and off farm can be made to directly increase farmers’ productivity and lower input costs.

Influenced and inspired by technological turning points and challenged by external and “Federated Farmers saw the potential in global factors, the meat industry is part of a this partnership and more than three powerful alliance with government and key quarters of the sheep and beef farmers who industry players. voted agreed.

The Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) is “While the red meat sector is having a tough a government and industry led initiative season with drought adding to the stress of investing in significant programmes of research and innovation to boost the economic growth and sustainability of New Zealand’s primary sectors from producer to consumer.

“It will lead to better communication and collaboration between all parts of our industry, which will increase farm gate returns,” Maxwells adds.

“It would be great to look back on the 2012/13 season and say, ‘That was the year when everything changed for the better’.”

Driving innovation As of December 2012, the total government and industry investment in the PGP since its inception in 2009 had topped $665 million – palpable evidence of the drive to lift economic growth through primary sector innovation.

Industries involved in the Primary Growth Partnership include: • Pastoral (including wool) and arable production • Horticulture • Seafood (including aquaculture) • Forestry and wood products • Food processing (including nutraceuticals and bioactives).

The collaborative approach between government and industry has led to substantial investments across these sectors – investments that cover the whole of the value chain, including education and skill development, research and development, product development, commercialisation, commercial development and technology transfer.

Every implemented programme and project that is a direct manifestation of the PGP is a joint investment between the Crown and industry with contributions by coinvestors equal to or greater than the Crown PGP funding.

Beef and Lamb New Zealand, on behalf of sheep and beef farmers, is a co-investor in the PGP which has been embraced by key industry members.

Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre Chairperson, Jeanette Maxwells says the

From the beginnings of Hall’s over 40 years ago, the company has grown into one of the most sophisticated specialist refrigerated carriers in New Zealand.

Hall’s has developed a true national network with branches from Auckland to Invercargill.

Within this extensive network Hall’s provides road, rail, containers and in certain locations, storage options for current and new customers.

Hall’s has been a significant service provider throughout New Zealand to the Meat Industry for a number of years. We value the relationship that has developed during

this time, and look forward to continuing to grow and extend this working relationship to meet the challenges we will encounter into the future.

You can contact us at either; (03) 344 0586 or (09) 269 1100 for any additional enquiries or information. www.halls.co.nz

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www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 45

Training for the future New Zealand has built much of its prosperity on its food and agricultural exports.

The businesses that have developed to grow, process and market these products are among the country’s largest and most sophisticated companies.

The scale and variety of the sector means there are thousands of interesting and rewarding job opportunities. Salaries are well above average and you can progress to great heights if you have the motivation to succeed.

With the growth in industry training opportunities employees can develop

their careers while at work. The opportunities for promotion and advancement can take you to almost any part of New Zealand and even overseas.

Dairy, wine, fish, horticulture and meat make up our major exports to the world and there are around 80,000 people employed in the food and beverage manufacturing sector in jobs like operations, laboratories, transportation, research and development, engineering, law, marketing, finance, accounting, management, food safety, environmental management and many, many more.

Modern industry is very sophisticated with skills in vocations like IT, science, engineering, and communications being in high demand. A sound schooling background can be supplemented by in-service training such as the diplomas in dairy and meat processing, logistics or competitive manufacturing.

Within the Central Districts there are many opportunities for employment training and higher education, so students and job seekers are well placed.

We recommend you look at websites like www.nzito.co.nz and make contact with companies to learn more about careers in these dynamic industries.

The ‘earn while you learn’ motto is a reality in these industries that value skills and practical experience equally.

There are also great opportunities for graduates from university in most disciplines to work in these industries.

The largest, like dairy, offer specialist graduate and post graduate qualifications that can set a person up for a great career in a global business.

Both the dairy and meat industries offer vocational qualifications and apprenticeships, as well as some work experience like Gateway.

These qualifications are recognised internationally and are sought after in many countries due to the high reputation of our food producers.

PO Box 488 Hamilton 3240 New Zealand P. (07) 858 4821 E. info@nzito.co.nz

DAIRY, MEAT, SEAFOOD AND FOOD PROCESSING EXPORTS PRODUCE 40% OF NEW ZEALAND’S EXPORT INCOME These industries employ 80,000 people nationally and 10,000 offshore.

Careers in these sectors afford variety, challenge, and opportunity.

In service training is available for occupations including management, professions, sales trades, lean manufacturing, technicians, operations, clerical, transport, supply chain, engineering, sciences, finance, computing, marketing.

www.nzito.co.nz

Agribusiness | NZ Meat Industry

Key challenges Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s strategy manager, Kelvin Whall says there are significant forces that shape the meat industry in New Zealand and the PGP is playing an integral role in the mitigation of these challenges.

Not only is the meat industry a biologically and seasonally dependent sector, meaning farmers and processors are constantly working with uncertainty, but there are factors beyond the industry’s direct control that continue to challenge profitability.

“As an export driven sector we don’t operate in isolation; the global financial crisis has impacted both demand and exchange rate,” Whall explains.

“As much as we would like to, we can’t guarantee profitability in this sector. What we can do is build capability through tools and services so the sector and its individual businesses are better equipped to navigate through these uncertainties.

“Historically, pastoral research and development (R&D), despite its enormous value, has had a variable degree of uptake among farmers,” Whall concedes.

The meat industry in New Zealand • The meat industry in New Zealand has represented an immeasurably valuable GDP driver for the country for more than 130 years since the first exports of frozen meat to the United Kingdom • Systems and practices in New Zealand’s industry, focused on meeting global market needs have been developed for more than 130 years • The industry produces enough food to feed more than 40 million people around the world • Farmers and processors provide beef and lamb products to more than 100 markets around the world, which is about 90 percent of our production.

This makes New Zealand unique as an agricultural exporter.

“Traditionally when research has been developed, packaged up and delivered to farmers, we have possibly treated them as ‘one size fits all’ market. If that was ever true, it is most certainly not the case the today with a wide variety of different farming systems and associated management and skill sets across the sector.”

Understanding this industry involves a social science approach. Decades of investment in physical and biological focused R&D needs to be supplemented by an analysis of what makes the various parts of the industry tick, in order to have a fundamental understanding of needs and preferences and package tools and services accordingly.

“The increasing diversity in the sector, from corporate governance farms through to traditional small family farms, means there are very different needs and so treating technology transfer as a ‘one size fits all’ simply won’t work,” Whall says.

“We need to better understand farmers and what drives them to make a decision by looking closely at the characteristics of the different parts of the industry.”

“

This PGP will provide a huge amount of investment in ways farmers can directly increase their productivity and returns through their own efforts, so it is very heartening that Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s co-funding resolution was supported.

- FEDERATED FARMERS, MEAT AND FIBRE CHAIRPERSON, JEANETTE MAXWELLS

Industry successes New Zealand’s natural competitive advantage, which it owes to its unique environmental characteristics, was established early in the country’s farming history.

“Systems and practices in the industry, focused on meeting global market needs have been developed for more than 130 years, so while there is real opportunity for improvement, the sector is pretty efficient in many areas,” Whall confirms.

“We produce enough food to feed more than 40 million people around the world.

When you produce more than you can consume locally, you need systems that can accommodate this.

“Our farmers and processors provide beef and lamb products to more than 100 markets around the world, which is about 90 percent of our production. This makes New Zealand unique as an agricultural exporter.”

Beyond its exporting strengths, the sector level achievements of the meat industry are multitudinous – not least of which is the fact that despite the dramatic decline of sheep flock numbers, there has been a massive improvement in productivity.

“Our lamb production has been largely maintained despite the large decline in overall sheep numbers,” Whall says.

These changes are owed to a quantum structural shift in the mid-1980s.

“The industry was deregulated in the eighties, but prior to that we were a fairly regulated economy with government structural support and intervention,” Whall explains.

“This support came in the form of supplementary minimum payments – subsidies made to the farmers by the government.”

Effectively the farmers were paid to produce, but this subsidisation came to an end, along with many similar supports in the New Zealand economy and the industry was forced to go 'cold turkey' and adjust to a market-led system.

“We have been a case study for many ever since – because many other countries around the world continue to rely on this agricultural subsidisation,” Whall explains.

“But, if you look back across this time period and the significant change it demanded in the sector, you can see that it put New Zealand farming in a position where it had to become more market-orientated. It was forced to look at value-led market chains and ways to improve productivity.”

”

The collaborative approach between government and industry has led to substantial investments across these sectors – investments that cover the whole of the value chain, including: • Education and skill development • Research and development • Product development • Commercialisation • Commercial development • Technology transfer.

The emergence of the dairy sector during this period also meant farm land became hot property.

The dairy sector represents a core constituent of the New Zealand economy. Close to four million dairy cows and more than 12,000 diary farmers produce more than fourteen billion litres of milk annually with 95 percent of all milk produced being exported.

“During this time economic forces have dictated a significant conversion of land from sheep and beef over to dairy,” Whall explains.

“Over this period of time, the nature of meat exporting has changed – meat processing and distribution channels divided into different markets. Meat was starting to be exported chilled and vacuum packed so it could compete with domestic fresh meat in global markets. The industry has derived substantial success from this change.”

The PGP is one of the more recent and more modern opportunities for the industry. It has been touted as a much needed vehicle required to incite transformational change in the sector.

The collective will of the public private partnership underpins and facilitates all the PGP projects. These projects in the sheep and beef sector can be characterised by the desire to deliver a sustainable, practical and adaptable industry for the next 130 years.

Beef and Lamb New Zealand PO Box 39-085 Christchurch T (03) 357 0691 E kelvin.whall@beeflambnz.com Meat Industry Association of New Zealand Level 5, Wellington Chambers 154 Featherston Street Wellington T (04) 473 6465 E info@mia.co.nz www.mia.co.nz

— Advertising Feature

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 47

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Agribusiness | Kopu Engineering

Versatile new dairy platform Kopu Engineering’s rotary cow sheds are recognised for their quality throughout the world, with the company now manufacturing a new concrete platform rotary shed.

What’s unique about Kopu Engineering’s new concrete platform is that, unlike other platforms, all the strength is in the steel, rather than the concrete.

This feature makes them ideal for use in third world countries, where the concrete is often poor quality. “We’ve built a lot of concrete platforms,” Kopu Engineering director Vaughan Austen says.

Kopu Engineering is currently promoting the new concrete rotary platform in Chile, where it’s receiving considerable interest.

“We used to export a lot of sheds for DeLaval all over the world, but now we just make them under our own name.”

The dairy shed experts

• Herringbone

Kopu Engineering in Thames has been designing and building dairy sheds for 40 years.

• Repairs • Extensions and upgrades

Its vast range of knowledge and experience means the company manufactures sheds that fit each client’s specific requirements, as well as being flexible enough to allow for further customisation in the future.

Kopu Engineering can do repairs, extensions or maintenance to existing cow sheds yards and gates, as well as designing and building new installations. It has a team of experienced engineers that can help with planning each tailor made dairy shed installation.

The majority of dairy sheds built by Kopu Engineering contain steel platforms.

“Our sheds are a very heavy duty platform and they’re built to last a long time,” Vaughan says.

• Laser, plasma and oxy cutting • 300tonne brake press • Drilling • Beveling • Part etching • In-house CAD • Sheet sales • Coil Processing • Quick Turnaround • Indent Services 12 Hautu Drive, Wiri PO Box 98-851 Manukau City Auckland, New Zealand Email: jasonm@kiwisteel.co.nz www.kiwisteel.co.nz Mobile: 021 758 271

Phone: 09 277 2703

The go-to dairy shed experts

“We custom design them per customer. A lot of the big companies only sell one product and that’s it, but we can make them how the farmer wants them.”

• Design and build new installations.

• Rotary • Routine maintenance checks • Breakdown repairs • Upgrades to drive and running gear • Design and build new platform installation.

General engineering capabilities Kopu Engineering undertakes a wide range of general engineering jobs, including heavy transport engineering and machining. It has the plant and skills to carry out general and structural machining, welding, design and build, and certified transport work.

“We have 12 staff and the business is growing,” Vaughan. “Our strength is our

A specialised rock body built by Kopu Engineering. The body is made from hightensile plate and slides forward to spread the load evenly over the axles, resulting in an extra 9000kg payload compared to the customer’s old rock trailer.

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“As well as dealing with poor quality concrete in some countries, we don’t usually like them as much as steel because they’re very heavy and can have trouble with sinking if the ground is soft. They are also harder on the running gear.”

“Chile approached us. We’ve worked there before through an American milking company,” Vaughan says.

ability to design and customise products for the clients’ needs, right down to building specialised truck trailers and machinery which other big companies won’t do.”

Kopu Engineering Limited 53 Kopu Road Kopu Thames T (07) 868 7571 www.kopu.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Kopu Engineering employs 12 staff and is owned by brothers Vaughan and Andrew Austen. Its management and staff has a diverse range of skills and include welders, machinists, mechanics, builders and concrete contractors, who use CAD drawing and 3D computer modelling.

A 900-cow yard with an 18-metre top gate designed and built by Kopu Engineering.

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General Engineering • Structural Engineering • Experienced Qualified Engineers • Machining • Transport Engineering Steel Sales • Engineering Supplies • Hydraulic Seals & O-Rings • Rotary Platform Servicing

Locally owned and operated - Over 30 years of experience in building rotary platforms

53 Kopu Road, Kopu, Thames • PH: 07 868 7571 • FAX: 07 868 7525 • EMAIL: kopu@xtra.co.nz • WEB: www.kopu.co.nz

50 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

RR Business Development | Minerva Learning

Understanding IT Long gone are the days when information technology (IT) was reserved for the academically or financially elite – or those in a cardigan and oversized spectacles.

Gone too are the days when good business management was dressed only in a black suit and tie and hailed from an ivy league type college.

Globalisation, the proliferation of technology and one savvy little Australasian company have given existing IT and management stereotypes the boot to bring vital skills and knowledge to New Zealand and Australia’s fingertips.

“We founded the business in November 2011 and I set it up in New Zealand in February 2012,” Rhys says. “Steven and I collaborate when it comes to our training material and the nature of the support we offer.”

A yearning to own his own business coupled with the passion and desire to unleash the capabilities of people, enabling them to conquer applications and manage successful projects, motivated Rhys to get Minerva Learning underway in New Zealand.

Accessibility, credibility and effective communication underpin Minerva Learning – a “We are committed to making a difference company breaking down the barriers between in people’s professional lives and their working environments.” businesses, IT and project management capability one clever little step at a time.

This commitment is palpable in the training available through Minerva Learning and The smarts and the skills is further emphasised by the incredible knowledge and capability brought to the Effectiveness is an elusive quality of sorts training table by Rhys and Steven. that is oft spoken of, but rarely attained – until Minerva Learning hit the professional scene that is. The Minerva vision is simple, but compelling; provide people with the knowledge and skills to be effective.

“What we’ve really done is personalised the training. We offer modular training, covering the functionality and skills you need to learn to be effective in your role.

There are two parts to the Minerva Learning enterprise – each as intelligent and skilled as the other – and no, we’re not talking about technology in this instance.

“A primary example is the Microsoft Office suite – think Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint, Project – we offer training in each area. We also offer courses that enable people to be effective from change management and leadership, to performance management and communication.

We’re referring to the two people who have made it their business, quite literally, to bring organisations up to technological and operational speed when it comes to using Microsoft applications and project / business management.

Steven Goldsmith attends to the Australian arm of the business, and Rhys Watson has his focus firmly on Aotearoa.

The two guys might be divided by a fair bit of distance, but they don’t let a small thing like the Tasman Sea stop them from working collaboratively and consistently in their professional approach.

Minerva Learning’s internationally recognised Microsoft project and business management training courses are performance driven and the brainchild of Rhys and Steven.

“We offer the opportunity for our trainees to create their own course and choose the modules that suit them and their needs.”

Minerva Learning is committed to helping people develop skills that they can apply in a practical capacity – whether it is project management or IT related.

“There are a lot of good communicators who lack the fundamental and technical skills necessary in modern workplaces – but this also works the other way around too – you can get a highly skilled individual that is a poor communicator.

“We are committed to empowering knowledgeable and capable employees.”

Invest in them and they will invest in you Minerva Learning offers in-house, offsite, or correspondence based training.

Training provided directly to businesses is customised to reflect the business environment concerned.

Minerva Learning works with councils, larger companies and small to medium enterprises.

“We understand and appreciate that there are different learning styles within every business and we ensure that each style of learning is catered for,” Rhys says.

“We provide all the resources and equipment, including PCs and manuals. Training includes exercises and discussion of the real world use of the tools and techniques covered. We also have chocolate which always accelerates learning and motivation,” he quips.

Humour aside, incentives and positive reinforcement is a large part of the training concept and Minerva Learning is about creating supportive learning environments to encourage best learning practices.

Minerva Learning

“At the end of a training session, we provide our participants with the resources they need to practice and reinforce what they have learnt, from USB sticks with the exercises, through to take home manuals, so they can refer to it time and time again to enhance their skills and ensure they retain all the information they need.”

Minerva Learning’s key conviction when it comes to upskilling employees and empowering them to fulfil their professional potential resonates with every employer, irrespective of industry.

It resonates because it is compellingly honest and truthful –‘if you invest in your people, they will invest in you’.

Minerva Learning PO Box 30 1729 Albany Auckland T 0508 646 378 E rwatson@minervalearning.co.nz www.minervalearning.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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www.davidlaw.co.nz www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 51

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Consent approved to establish a mixed use (retail/hospitality and office) development.

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At present retail and/or food and beverage activities are proposed at ground floor level with office activity on the upper floor levels.

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M 021 742 344

Focus | Health & Safety

The danger of workplace stress You’ve heard it said before; nobody on their death bed wishes they put in more hours at the office.

When the researchers took into account factors such as age, sex, marital status and occupational level, they found those who worked three to four hours of overtime each day increased their risk for heart disease by a huge 60 percent.

Finnish researchers report that people who put in long hours at work increase their risk of dying from heart disease and heart attack. In fact, people who work three or more hours of overtime a day have a 60 percent increased risk of heart related problems such as dying from heart disease, having a heart attack or angina, researchers noted in their report published on May 12 in the online edition of the European Heart Journal.

“Working overtime may be a risk for some individuals in terms of cardiovascular health,” Virtanen says. “Mechanisms that relate to this risk may be unhealthy lifestyle, stress, depression and lack of sleep. People who work long hours may also be those who ignore their early symptoms and are less likely to go to physical health checks.”

“Be aware of potential risks in excessive overtime work,” says study author Marianna Virtanen, an epidemiologist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in Helsinki.

“We do not yet know how long exposure is needed before cardiovascular health is affected,” she adds. “Short periods of overtime work are not necessarily dangerous to health.”

For the study, Virtanen’s team collected data on more than 6,000 British civil servants.

During 11 years of follow up work, 369 of these people died from heart disease or had heart attacks or angina.

When Virtanen’s group looked at 21 other risk factors, there was little difference in the findings.

While it isn’t clear why working overtime increases the risk for heart disease, Virtanen’s team speculates that the people who choose to work overtime may be those with so called type A personalities. This makes them more aggressive, competitive, tense, time conscious and generally hostile. They may also have signs of depression and anxiety and may not get enough sleep, or not enough time to relax before going to sleep.

Dr Gregg Fonarow, director of the Ahmanson UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that “emerging data suggest that consistently working overtime may be associated with adverse health status including hypertension, sleep deprivation, lack of exercise and depression”.

It is also possible that people who have more freedom over work related decisions may have a lower risk of heart disease even if they work overtime, the researchers added.

Yet another possibility is that the chronic stress, associated with working long hours, has an adverse effect on health.

There have also been numerous studies suggesting a higher risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack or stroke with excess overtime work. “There are a number of potential mechanisms by which excess overtime work could adversely impact cardiovascular event risk including increased

stress, excess sympathetic nervous system activity, increased exposure to secondhand smoke, unhealthy dietary habits, less time to exercise, and individuals with excess overtime work being less included to seek timely and appropriate medical care,” Fonarow said.

The solution?

A balance between work and play, but in the 21st century we seem to be working harder than ever. Be aware of adrenal fatigue, because this is often a sign that you may be heading towards burnout and suffer from premature heart disease.

Think snoring is a joke?

For thousands of New Zealanders who snort, snuffle and gasp through the night, it’s no laughing matter.

As many as 20 percent of motorway accidents are thought to be connected to obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome.

Sufferers of the condition are prone to repeated pauses in breathing while asleep, due to obstruction of the upper airway. Individuals with OSA are rarely aware of having breathing problems, but the poor quality of sleep which OSA causes can lead to fatigue during the day and accidents at work or on the road.

What if the hospital paid you a visit?

That’s exactly what Edensleep does.

“We will conduct overnight sleep studies in the comfort and convenience of your own home, so you don’t have to waste time and money juggling work and responsibilities,” Edensleep director Tim Stephenson says.

For the past ten years the New Zealand owned and operated company has been conducting sleep tests for GPs, specialist doctors and the general public. All testing is done by qualified physiologists and their work is overseen by their specialist doctors.

The testing for sleep apnoea is simple and affordable and if proved positive

they can direct you to safe and effective treatments that take away the risk and allow you to enjoy your life to the fullest. The tests are reasonably priced and available wherever you may live in New Zealand.

Sleeptech is the country’s leading private supplier of CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) equipment, many of which are designed and manufactured in the country. Sourced from the world’s leading companies such as Resmed their range of hightech equipment is making a big difference to people’s lives. Also, the machines are non-intrusive – all they do is blow air gently and quietly via your nose or mouth.

If you use old CPAP equipment give Sleeptech a call and see the difference an update can make. Qualified physiologists will set up the equipment so you enjoy a good night’s (or day’s) sleep which you rightly deserve. Prices start at $20 a week for rental, which is less than the price of the six coffees which you would otherwise need to stay awake!

To know more, visit www.sleeptech.co.nz or www.edensleep.co.nz. Freephone 0800 333 675, fax 06 769 9997, email office@sleeptech.co.nz

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 53

Focus | Bluebird Foods

Bluebird celebrates 60 years It’s safe to say that Kiwis can’t get enough of New Zealand’s favourite snack food - Bluebird.

The iconic brand celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, keeping us in supply of tasty treats, especially chippies, for as long as Kiwis can remember.

Bluebird opened its doors in 1953, just a few years after young entrepreneur Les Saussey started selling popcorn and then potato chips at the Western Springs Speedway in Auckland.

Saussey started out small, but the popularity of his Bluebird chips quickly flourished and an expansion in flavours such as ready salted, salt and vinegar, and chicken became too much of a temptation, selling at just nine pence a packet.

Today Bluebird is one of New Zealand’s largest snack food manufacturers with Kiwi favourites including Bluebird Potato Chips, Doritos Corn Chips, Grain Waves, Twisties, Rashuns, Burger Rings and Cheezels.

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, group brand manager, Jodene Nigro says Bluebird is rolling out a range of activities.

“An exciting consumer promotion that we are running will give families a chance to win a great Kiwi escape to go and see a beautiful chip of New Zealand. A range of specially marked Bluebird packs will carry the promotion throughout our anniversary over June and July in stores across New Zealand.”

Bluebird is also giving consumers the opportunity to relive 60 years of Kiwi history via a ‘Favourite Kiwi Moments’ celebration, running for 60 days and hosted on the new Bluebird Facebook page.

“This is a great opportunity for families to share their favourite memories and win lots of prizes. Over the years, beside

outstanding quality and great tasting snacks, Bluebird and its penguins have won the heart of Kiwi families; it is a truly iconic Kiwi brand,” Nigro says.

Nigro further explains that the brand has become a slice of Kiwi life. “We all share memories of family and friends, summer BBQs on the beach sharing Bluebird chips or playing with Cheezels rings on top of our fingers.

“Bluebird feels privileged that 60 years on it continues to be one of New Zealand’s favourite snack brands.

“Our great taste comes first from our commitment to great quality ingredients such as potatoes and corn that is 100 percent New Zealand grown, and are then turned into a delicious range of snacks, manufactured right here at our plant in Auckland,” he says.

In 2010, Bluebird won the sought after Westpac Manukau Business Excellence ‘Business of the Year Supreme Award’, along with the Brookfield Lawyers Employer of Choice Award and the EMA Excellence in Manufacturing Award.

The business supports building stronger links between employees, charities and the community with its Helping Hands Program. This includes an ongoing commitment to the Salvation Army through product donations, internal fundraising events and employee volunteering time to support Salvation Army initiatives.

All funds raised by Bluebird employees are matched dollar for dollar by the PepsiCo foundation.

54 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

“

We all share memories of family and friends, summer BBQs on the beach sharing Bluebird chips or playing with Cheezels rings on top of our fingers.

- GROUP BRAND MANAGER, JODENE NIGRO

After celebrating Bluebird’s anniversary Nigro explains that the business will continue to create new products and flavours.

“Making the best tasting chips remains at the heart of everything Bluebird does - we will continue making great tasting chips well into the future.”

”

Focus | Bluebird Foods

Kiwi favourites

Did you know?

• Did you know that the penguins only appeared in the early 90s?

So... why penguins?

• Adelie penguins are a New Zealand native bird which is recognised as an animal species that demonstrates highly social, fun, sharing behaviours.

What could be better than penguins to represent fun and celebrations with family and friends?

• It takes exactly 20 minutes to turn a potato into potato chips

“

Our great taste comes first from our commitment to great quality ingredients, such as potatoes and corn that is 100 percent New Zealand grown, and are then turned into a delicious range of snacks.

- BLUEBIRD FOODS, GROUP BRAND MANAGER, JODENE NIGRO

• The potatoes Bluebird uses are grown all across New Zealand in areas such as Pukekohe, Waikato and Hawke’s Bay • Bluebird makes more than 100 products in various flavours and types – looking at new ideas every day

As part of the 60th anniversary celebrations, Bluebird will also be bringing back old Kiwi favourites and introducing some Bluebird classic products from its rich past. This includes Bluebird Discos (in stores now) and Grain Waves Pipes (in stores from August).

” Launching a success Success also comes from Bluebird’s great tasting, well loved flavours and regular flavour innovations that help keep the Bluebird party going!

• Bluebird also manufactures other great snacks such as Le Snak, a lunch favourite, Flemings Muesli bars, another Kiwi classic, as well as Quaker muesli bars, made from the world’s number one brand in oats.

Bluebird has launched: • Cheesymite, in 2009 (chosen by the nation via The Rock radio station’s ‘The Nation’s Chip’ promotion).

• The ‘Kiwi As’ flavour range in 2009 and 2011: Kiwi Dip, Wattie’s Tomato Sauce & Mince Pie and Mainland Cheese, Hellers Ham and Sour Cream with a dash of Kaitaia Fire.

Do us a flavour In 2010 Bluebird held its “Do us a flavour” competition, where entrants were tasked with creating a new taste for the traditional potato chip.

The four final flavours picked by the judges are Cheesy Garlic Bread, Butter Chippin’, Paua Fritters with Lemon Wedges and Sunday Roast.

The winning entry was Sunday Roast (the crispy bits in the bottom of the pan) from David of New Plymouth and this flavour has since remained on supermarket shelves.

Bluebird Foods Ltd 124 Wiri Station Road Manukau City Auckland T (09) 262 8800 Consumer Enquiries 0800 730 123 (10am to 7pm Mon - Fri) — Advertising Feature

CONGRATULATIONS TO BLUEBIRD FOODS ON THEIR 60 YEAR ANNIVERSARY It is with pleasure that New Zealand Starch continues to supply Bluebird Foods with glucose and starch products proudly manufactured in New Zealand. We thank Bluebird Foods for their ongoing support and we look forward to servicing their future needs for many years to come.

NZ Starch Limited | Ph: 09 634 2119 | www.nzstarch.co.nz

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 55

Focus | Destination Manawatu

Destination Manawatu

The bureau offers the following support:

They say it’s always the quiet ones you should watch out for… and there’s never been a truer tale told when it comes to Palmerston North.

The busy, bustling and bright little city has well and truly shaken off the perception that it has a shy demeanor and has been progressively building its profile and positioning itself as a cultural, commercial and recreational gateway.

It’s true – reputation is everything, but you’ve also got to have the goods to go with the reputation and Palmerston North has got both these things in buckets.

The city has the gift of the gab when it comes to attracting new and existing patronage, and the brightest business brains from here, there and everywhere come to work and wander in its playground.

Palmerston North is New Zealand’s seventh largest city and the fourth fastest growing in the country. Its name hails from the Maori translation Te Papaioea which is believed to mean, “How beautiful it is.”

When you look at Palmerston North’s thriving tourism and hospitality portfolio, it’s not hard to see why.

Palmerston North’s reputation as an outstanding corporate tourism destination is rock solid – and it’s a reputation that’s been well earned.

A rock solid base

Home to 85,000 people, the city is a central distribution and logistics hub in a highly accessible location. Only three hour's drive away for more than one million people, the urban centre offers unique and warm hospitality to a high volume of overnight visitors.

Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu region – bordered by the Ruahine mountain range, which is blanketed in lush native forest.

Manawatu is derived from two words, Manawa and Tu. Manawa refers to the heart and Tu describes something that has come to a halt. The ancestor Hau is said to have spoken the words “ka tu taku manawa” meaning “my heart stands still at the sight of the awesome Manawatu River”.

FIELDAIR Engineering for Aviation Fieldair Engineering Ltd Airport Drive Palmerston North International Airport Palmerston North 4414

Fieldair Engineering Ltd is proud of its “down to Earth” reputation as a leading provider of quality aircraft maintenance services. Between our facilities at Palmerston North, Auckland and Christchurch airports we are fully equipped to cater for both the small GA and large airline operators.

Please call the Engineering Manager Phil Byrne +64-6-3501746 at any time to discuss your engineering requirements.

Phone: (06) 357 1149

56 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

• Conference bids – working alongside clients to assist in gathering quotes, securing the right support and delivering a compelling professional conference bid document • Venue search – offering options for venues that reflect specific needs and budgets and the co-ordination of site visits to see options first-hand • Group accommodation booking service – appropriate accommodation solutions for delegates • Activities, tours, team building, partner programmes – helping blend fun into the professional mix with a broad range of social, cultural and recreational opportunities.

Palmerston North airport is linked to New Zealand’s main centres by daily flights and the city represents a gateway to some of the North Island’s key adventure capitals.

“What really attracts people is that the city is centrally located – it is an easy drive and the airport offers great flight schedules into and The Regional Tourism and Marketing Authority out of the main centres. There is also a new link that has been established from Nelson.” for the Manawatu region, Destination Manawatu, knows and embraces the potential A compact central business district, which of Palmerston North and the broader area. hosts a plethora of accommodation options, bars and restaurants, also makes the city a The organisation works closely with desirable location for conferences.

Palmerston North City Council, Manawatu District Council, as well as Vision Manawatu, to ensure the region gets the profile and promotion it deserves from the partnership.

Destination Manawatu convention marketing manager, Phil Hildred says there is a strong sense of place embodied in the city and that the perception of Palmerston North has shifted steadily over the years as it has continued to attract tourists and major commercial organisations in their droves.

“Generally everything is within a 10 minute walk and because Palmerston North is a very compact city, it is a lot more affordable to travel around, particularly by taxi,” he explains.

“All accommodation providers offer free parking, which is excellent for visitors to the area. We often receive positive feedback from visitors about the low cost of staying in the city.”

Focus | Destination Manawatu

Something for everyone Palmerston North attracts both corporate and association based conferences including the famed World Federation Roses Society, which will be taking place this year in November, as well as New Zealand commercial giants including Fonterra.

The World Federation of Roses Society is a federation of the national rose societies from 41 countries around the world. It represents more than 100,000 rose lovers and has a goal to expand contact among them and increase the flow of knowledge about the rose.

“In 2012, we also hosted the New Zealand Institute of Environmental Health. This year the New Zealand Vet Association Conference met in Palmerston North, as did the New Zealand Climate Change Conference.

“This venue is absolutely brilliant – it is only 12 minutes from the centre of Palmerston North and will be able to host meetings, product launches and small conferences,” he says. “One of the best parts is that delegates will be able to step out of their meeting and straight onto the golf course.”

The nature of the conference game is flexibility and Palmerston North is a city that has flexibility at its very core. “We have a very broad range of conference delegates that come to Palmerston North each year,” he confirms.

“To meet this demand, we have more than 3000 accommodation beds within the city and wider region. This accommodation ranges from budget right through to 4.5 star hotels.”

Professional play Alongside the professional expertise bubbling away in the region, is a lot of fun and games too. Golf tournaments, grand prix car racing, arts, heritage and walking trails are available throughout the year. The central library also offers a Library Art and Architecture Tour.

Conference groups can visit the Te Manawa Museum and Art Gallery – committed to art, science and history. “The centre was recently redeveloped with an incredible attention to detail and local history,” Phil reveals. “It offers a dynamic and ever-changing experience that is unique, engaging and thoroughly grounded in the stories and treasures of local people.”

For the rugby lovers, there’s a rugby heaven in Palmerston North in the form of the New Zealand Rugby museum. In 2011, New Zealand Rugby collaborated with Te Manawa to develop the world-class attraction, which is located in the centre of Palmerston North.

“We go that extra mile to tailor each event to the specific interests of our guests, and what made these conferences particularly special was their connection to some of Palmerston North’s key sectors, particularly in science and research, food innovation, health and the environment. They were an ideal fit for the expertise we have become internationally renowned for.

Like the conference themes, the size and configuration of each conference varies too.

“The average size of conference groups is between 200 and 300 people,” Phil says.

“Sometimes we have groups of 800, or even larger – larger groups have access to a couple of stadium options, which gives them plenty of space.”

Te Manawa credit Kevin Bills

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“Last year we also had a Food Structures, Digestion and Health conference here,” Phil reveals. “This brought together food industry professionals and world leading scientists from all over the world with a common interest in food design that delivers better nutrition and consumer wellbeing. We had delegates from Russia, America, France, Spain, Japan and Canada.

The venue base in Palmerston North is about to gain a very attraction addition in the form of Orlando Country Club, which will be available to host conferences from late spring 2013.

The museum is home to New Zealand rugby heritage and culture and a collection of some of the world’s rarest rugby artifacts, with rare and detailed coverage of the emergence of New Zealand as a major rugby power.

“This is an incredibly unique visiting opportunity,” he says. “There are more than 40,000 items in its ever-growing collection and a great interactive area where visitors can have a go at kicking a ball, get involved in a line out, or test out a scrum machine.

“

What really attracts people is that the city is centrally located – it is an easy drive and the airport offers great flight schedules into and out of the main centres.

”

get taken in a bus to the Tui Factory and are involved in a staged ‘break in’.

“They are hosted by the Brucetta and Davina characters from the Tui ads and spend the evening playing games, sampling beer and having dinner before they are returned to the city on the bus.

“It’s an incredibly unique experience for people and is something we are asked about a lot. We also have a lot of people telling us about their experiences.”

Palmerston North also has a reputation as a bit of a drama queen – in the very best possible way. It has a strong theatrical heart to go with its strong historical setting and many of the original stores, which were built in the 1920s and 1930s, have been restored and now serve as cafés, restaurants and boutiques.

In turn, the local theatres serve up their fair share of dramatic dynamism. Community“It is one of only two museums like this in the driven live theatre companies stage regular world – the other one is in Cardiff.” productions, and musicals while Centrepoint, New Zealand’s only professional theatre For the light hearted, a trip to the world famous and iconic Tui factory can be arranged. outside of a main centre, boasts an annual programme of insightful, charming and “This is a very fun and popular event, which dramatic fare featuring some of the country’s conferences may look to coincide with. best known talent.

“It’s called the “Break in at Tui”, which is just a short 35 minute drive from Palmerston North. Destination Manawatu works closely with the event organisers of 28 key annual events It’s an amazing evening out for visitors who

in Palmerston North City and Manawatu.

Manawatu has an excellent framework for large events to be nurtured and established as an integral part of the annual scene.

The organisation has already secured a number of existing events that have the potential to achieve this status and it continues to look at ways to capitalise on these existing opportunities, as well as identifying new ones.

Of the extensive offering, Phil says, “Palmerston North has it all – great venues, well priced accommodation, fun activities, a free group accommodation booking service, and cash back on group accommodation bookings.

“It truly is a city that can meet the needs of all its visitors and particularly those visiting in a conference capacity. Within the city, tailored site visits are possible for medical, sport, food, manufacturing, military industry delegates and many more.”

Destination Manawatu Level One Square Centre Building 478 Main Street Palmerston North T (06) 350 1810 E office@manawatu.co.nz www.manawatunz.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Achieve the best bottom line THE MANAWATU REGION HAS A STRONG COMMERCIAL STORY TO TELL- ABOUT AMBITION, GROWTH AND SUCCESS. With our great central location - efficient distribution hub - outstanding infrastructure - reliable and regular air, rail and road transport And our growing pool of talented people, Manawatu adds up to a great place to do business P. 06 350 1830 | E. info@visionmanawatu.org.nz | www.visionmanawatu.org.nz www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 57

Focus | Central Forklift Group

Lifting the lid on freight moving logistics Central Forklift Group has the forklift or truck to suit all your logistics requirements.

Director Des Walsh says Central Forklift Group imports Heli forklifts directly. “Heli is a very strong and reliable product and is really price advantaged to the client,” he says. “It’s a very popular forklift and is a bare bones machine; it’s solid, reliable and strong.”

New and used forklift sales

TCM has been a leader in forklift manufacturing for more than 50 years, offering machines from one tonne through to container handlers. TCM forklifts are renowned for their quality and technology, which result in lower operating costs and increased productivity.

Central Forklift Group, which employs about 50 staff, offers new and used forklifts for sale, as well as a wide range of models for hire.

It stocks a huge range of new forklifts and accessories for sale and can help customers find the right forklift for any requirements.

FOR EVERYTHING AUTO ELECTRICAL • 4711 Certified Welding • House Beams • Small Structural Buildings • Gates & Handrails etc • Trailers: Manufacture, Repairs and Parts • Site Fitting & Erection • Wide Range Of General Engineering

Quality & Service Guaranteed 25 years experience

Phone & Fax: Paul on 06 356 9756

Central Group Forklifts and Trucks began selling medium-to-heavy-duty UD Trucks this year.

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Jungheinrich is one of the leading manufacturers of warehousing trucks in the Central Forklift Group is the New Zealand world. Recognising customers prefer single distributor for Heli forklifts and also represents sourcing, Jungheinrich offers the widest range other well known brands such as TCM, of materials-handling solutions and forklift Jungheinrich and Yale. trucks in the world.

The company supplies materials handling Central Forklift Group can also help customers equipment to a range of industries, including with a wide range of pallet jacks to meet any sawmills, forestry, rail yards, warehousing, small scale needs. freight handling, container yards, The company’s versatility extends to the hire manufacturing and storage. of high-quality golf carts and industrial utility Heli is one of the fastest growing forklift vehicles, as well as shuttle personnel carriers manufacturers in the world, offering a wide for virtually any application. Flexible payment range of applications from one tonne to 32 options are available for customers buying a tonne capacity. Its electric forklift models can new machine. easily handle a full day’s work, with ecoIn addition, the group offers an extensive friendly performance free of any pollutants. range of ex-lease and trade-in equipment, The company has been selling Heli forklifts with used forklifts ranging from almost new for 10 years. They are made in China and to bargain units for low-use customers. All have developed a strong reputation as tough, used machinery has a full service history and economical machines. comes with a warranty.

Central Forklift Group is the place to turn for all your forklift requirements.

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First established in 1996, it has grown from a small Lower Hutt based business into a large company that covers the North Island, with branches in Wellington, Lower Hutt (head office), Palmerston North and Hawke’s Bay, all accompanied by a nationwide dealer network.

Rentals a popular option A large number of customers are opting to hire forklifts from Central Forklift Group, rather than purchasing their own machine.

Des says the company has a huge range of rental machines in its fleet.

Central Forklift Group offers hire solutions to meet all customers’ needs, supported by full maintenance and optional accessories.

From traditional lift trucks to reach trucks and smaller equipment like pallet jacks, the company will find the right equipment for every requirement, including new and secondhand units.

Forklifts can be rented for short periods of time to cover peak work demands, while casual rental is an economical option. Long term rental is also popular, with machines supported by regular maintenance from Central Forklift Group.

Many customers are choosing to hire forklifts from Central Forklift Group.

Features of hire include: • Complete hire solutions backed with full maintenance and operator if needed • Cover your peak work demands without using capital • Keep your business running while your forklift is being repaired • Choose a machine from one of New Zealand’s largest forklift fleets • Short term, casual and long term hire available • All forklifts are well maintained and serviced • Other equipment, including golf and industrial carts, for hire.

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SALES – HIRE – SERVICE – PARTS – DRIVER TRAINING - ADVICE [w] www.centralgroup.co.nz H AW K E ’ S B AY

[p] 879-8171

58 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

[e] enquiries@centralgroup.co.nz •

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[p] 357-0872

•

[p] 0800 538 735 WELLINGTON

[p] 577-1344

Focus | Central Forklift Group New trucks in demand Central Forklift Group sells Hyundai trucks under the trading name Central Commercials, with UD trucks sold under the trading name Central Group Forklift and Trucks.

Central Forklift Group’s service and maintenance offering includes: • 24/7 repair service from technicians on all brands of forklifts

Central Commercials is the lower North Island Hyundai truck dealer, while Central Group Forklifts and Trucks is now the new sales and service agent for UD Trucks in the Wellington region.

• Servicing of trucks and other commercial vehicles

Central Group Forklifts and Trucks began selling medium to heavy duty UD Trucks this year.

• Preventative maintenance programmes and schedules

UD Trucks have earned an outstanding reputation for quality, dependability and durability. The UD trademark, which originally stood for Uniflow Diesel, became known during the years to mean “ultimate dependability.”

• Fleet management programmes to run equipment more efficiently

• A specialised transporter for recovering machinery

• Service contracts

• A commitment to reducing costs by prevention of breakdowns • A large inventory of spare parts.

“We’re getting a lot of interest and we’ve made good progress into increasing the market share for both brands. It’s going well and is really opening up. We have new truck hoists set up in our workshops to service trucks.”

Central Commercials has been a Hyundai dealer for two years and offers a range of heavy duty trucks that are tough, stylish and comfortable.

There are three models available with three gross vehicle weights - 4.5 tonne, 6.5 tonne and 7.5 tonne. Each model has two cab choices anda long, medium or short wheelbase, which means customers can choose the perfect vehicle for their requirements.

“We have a computer system that looks after service and maintenance schedules and reports. And we’ve taken more administration on to do more reporting to clients on the breakdown of costs and schedule of servicing. We take the onus off our customers.”

Central Forklift Group offers preventative maintenance and service contracts on all forklifts and trucks to minimise the cost of unnecessary downtime.

The company offers a 24/7 breakdown and repair service to keep clients’ businesses up and running.

Operator training An extensive range of driver training and safety courses are available to ensure customers’ businesses operate efficiently and meet compliance requirements. This training can be onsite or at the Central Forklift Group’s in-house training facility.

Specialising in: Bearings, Oil Seals, Valving, Lubrication, Vee Belts, Pulleys, Chains, Sprockets, Engineering Consumables and much more!

It is with great appreciation to be associated with Central Forklift Group

Growth in service and maintenance work Central Forklift Group has been focused on growing its service and maintenance work across its four North Island branches. “We’ve grown on the service side and we’ve got good systems in place,” Des says.

0800 274765

Central Forklift Group sells Hyundai trucks under the trading name Central Commercials.

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Servicing Central & Northern Hawke’s Bay • Engineering • Seals & O-rings • Hydraulic Cylinder • Repairs & Rebuilds

P. 06 879 5050 | F. 06 879 5657 1216 Omahu Road | Hastings

Proud to be associated with Central Forklift Group

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In addition, Central Forklift Group is the national distributor for Kevrek truck cranes, a range that is light and durable with precise control, offering high strength and reach with low maintenance.

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Central forklift Group is the New Zealand distributor for Heli forklifts, which are tough and economical.

<

Des says UD Trucks are suited to all markets and are the former Nissan brand.

p: 06 8795005 e: engineeringsolutions@waspnet.co.nz 3a Hazelwood Street, HASTINGS

Sprockets NZ have been a proud supplier of Donghua leaf chain to Central Forklifts for the past 10 years.

Along with Leaf chain we also stock •

British and American standard roller chains and sprockets

•

Conveyor chains

•

Stainless steel chain Email: sales@pmlnz.com Freephone: 0800 477 762 Fax North Is: 06 323 6212 Fax South Is: 03 349 3305

www.pmlnz.com www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 59

Focus | Rumpus Room

Nurturing tomorrow’s talent There’s no denying hit shows like The X-Factor, Glee and American Idol have taken the entertainment world by storm. There’s something endearing about seeing raw talent in the flesh. But then there’s something unnerving about putting that same raw talent through the gruelling pressure of auditions.

Helen and Huw Griffiths saw a way to have all the fun of performance, without all the pressure of competing by developing the popular Upbeat Glee Club.

A singing and dancing group for children aged 5-13, Huw says the Upbeat Glee Club started out as a one-off performance to support the Welsh rugby team when they were here for the Rugby World Cup in 2011. “The children get to enjoy their very own X Factor moment every week, singing their favourite chart hits,” Huw says.

“They have such a great time that it’s morphed into something much bigger than we ever imagined.”

So popular was the club that a full entertainment venue has been crafted around its success. Established May 7 this year, Rumpus Room is an indoor play venue and, while it caters specifically for ages 4-12, all the visitors enjoys themselves. “You pay admission to come in and play in one of four age appropriate zones,” Huw explains.

“Our centre is designed primarily with the under 12s in mind, but we also have table tennis, air hockey and our café for parents, guardians and older siblings.”

“

Having the range of activities ensures the children get a lot of variety. It adds extra value to any visit without extra cost. It also gives them a reason to come to Rumpus Room knowing that a particular activity is taking place.

- HUW GRIFFITHS

”

The café menu is developed in conjunction with the Fuelled4Life programme. “We believe it provides healthier choices at great value. We are more than happy to cater for special nutritional requirements or requests and will do our best to meet these whenever possible.”

Glee Club continues to be a massive draw card, with four classes a week from 4:30 - 6 Tuesday through to Friday. Three to four Rumpus Room activities are run every day from construction and dressups, through to parachute time and art.

“Having the range of activities ensures the children get a lot of variety,” Huw says. “It adds extra value to any visit without extra cost. It also gives them a reason to come to Rumpus Room knowing that a particular activity is taking place.”

With two party rooms available, Rumpus Room is becoming a popular way to celebrate the annual birthday, with a Facebook page just a small snapshot of the positive feedback following a successful event.

With Rumpus Room about to launch its first school holiday programme in July, this exciting company is set to get better and better.

“For me personally, the best part is seeing the smiles on faces, knowing everyone is having a good time. We’re in the business of creating fun times and happy memories.

Sometimes, they have too good a time and just don’t want to leave. Tantrums at the exit door aren’t unusual!“.

Rumpus Room Corner Gill and High Streets New Plymouth T 0800 RUMPUS (786787) E huw@rumpus-room.co.nz www.rumpus-room.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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Huge Range of Commercial Indoor Play Equipment including: • Ball Pools • Slides • Tubes Climbs • Bouncy Castles • Soft Play • Children’s Entertainment Centres 60 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

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• Spray Painting • Wall Papering • Waterblasting & Cleaning • Cow Sheds • Roof Coating • Insurance Claims • Residential • Commercial • Industrial • Inside & Out

Transport | Raymond Transport

Getting your goods to market Raymond Transport Limited offers customers a high level of flexibility and versatility and is available at short notice for any container transport needs.

The business was formed in the Bay of Plenty 15 years ago by Chris Raymond, who started out with one truck carting roofing tiles. He soon began establishing relationships with shipping companies and realised there was a market in moving and tipping containers out of the Port of Tauranga.

“We’re big enough to do a lot of large jobs and we’re small enough to be very versatile.

We can chop and change quickly. Where the bigger companies have got their trucks on set runs, we have the ability to be a little bit versatile.”

The company is currently delivering hay Today Raymond Transport transports bales that have been transported via coastal containers almost exclusively, delivering them shipping from the South Island and are being from Tauranga to customers throughout the delivered direct to the farm.

Bay of Plenty, as well as in New Plymouth, Hawera, Palmerston North, Napier, Hastings A history of transport and Auckland.

innovation

About Raymond Transport • Raymond Transport specialises in transporting shipping containers from the Port of Tauranga throughout the North Island • The company operates a fleet of nine trucks • It is understood to be the first company in New Zealand to run a three-container truck/trailer unit • Raymond Transport has generators on all its trailers to power refrigerated containers during transport • Customers benefit from the company’s versatility and flexibility.

Specialty container transport service General manager Bill De Renzy says the company transports and tips fertiliser and stock food, some of which includes palm kernel, tapioca, cotton seed and rice bran. It now operates a fleet of nine trucks from its depot in Mt Maunganui.

“We do daily runs from Tauranga to Auckland. There’s quite a demand locally and we have half the fleet out of town every day and the other half in town.”

Versatility is the key In addition to stock food, Raymond Transport also carts kiwifruit, dairy products, empty containers and avocados, as well as both coastal and imported products. The majority is collected from the port.

Raymond Transport is believed to be the first transport company in New Zealand to put a three-container truck/trailer unit on the road.

The company wanted to reduce the number of return trips it was doing between Tauranga and Auckland, so in 2010 it had an eight-wheeler truck fitted with a 40 foot skeletal trailer to cart three 20 foot containers, or one 40 foot and one 20 foot container. This trailer has now been reconfigured into a five-axle pull trailer and uprated to cart bigger payloads.

In addition, Raymond Transport runs generators on all its trailers so it can power refrigerated containers. “That’s a specialty of ours and is a big part of our business,” Bill says.

“

Raymond Transport’s three-container truck and trailer unit.

We’re big enough to do a lot of large jobs and we’re small enough to be very versatile. We can chop and change quickly. Where the bigger companies have got their trucks on set runs, we have the ability to be a little bit versatile.

- GENERAL MANAGER, BILL DE RENZY

”

“During the past Kiwirail line closures, we transported refrigerated containers from the Port of Tauranga to Auckland and returned to Tauranga with the same, and we run them on power.”

Raymond Transport Limited PO Box 4535 Mt Maunganui South T (07) 574 4241 M (027) 478 8594 — Advertising Feature

NEXXUS FINANCIAL GROUP

Work for Tauranga Kiwifruit Logistics goes from April to November and then the trucks finish that and go onto Fonterra work for the next six months. We also collect timber in containers from Kawerau every day,” Bill says.

Raymond Transport is enjoying steady growth in the competitive transport industry and is looking to put more trucks on the road in the future. “We offer personal service, prompt delivery and we do what we promise,” he says.

Proud to advise and provide Raymond Transport Ltd with all their insurance needs Tauranga 07 571 3200 www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 61

Initiatives | THT Properties

The journey of Tomoana’s food hub The sentiment, ‘nothing of significance ever comes easy’, or words to the effect, are a philosophical derivative of bygone eras. Their meaning has survived the generations because it resonates with people on both a personal and professional level.

The climb

Why? Because it’s true!

There’s no point in sugar coating this journey – it’s there in the public eye for all to see. You don’t need to be looking hard or reading between the lines to know it’s been a heck of a ride for the father and son duo of THT Properties – that being Trevor and his son Stewart.

And it’s certainly so in the case of THT Properties and its subsidiary Tomoana Warehousing Ltd. THT Properties is a crusader for innovation and a dab hand at persevering in the face of a stubborn and persistent challenge.

The company’s concept for a food hub in Tomoana has finally found its way into the light and is here to stay. The hub’s role in the Hawke’s Bay and broader New Zealand is sure to resonate with conviction as it gets set to become both a major employer and catalyst for growth in the region.

In life, the toughest of encounters are often referred to as ‘the climb’ - in a metaphorical sense.

In business, this climb refers to a challenge when you’re on the steepest of ascents, trying to make it to the top, and you become starved of professional oxygen (funds, allies, industrial support).

Only the toughest survive this journey… and the rest? Well, they don’t survive. The Taylor family is in the former category – they don’t give up and never will.

Their upcoming project, the new Tomoana Food Hub, will be the sophisticated and innovative recipient of much of their labor, time and energy intensive journey during the past years.

They’ve been supported, they’ve been challenged, there have been ups and there have certainly been downs, but there’s been one unshakable constant in the Taylor’s journey – their persistence.

Trevor Taylor’s vision to make this hub happen has been a regular fixture on his professional

BMW PLUMING LTD 408 Victoria Street, Hastings BMW Plumbing salutes THT Properties and Tomoana Warehousing Ltd. Proud to be a part of this massive construction.

See us for all your Plumbing, Drainage, Gas and Watermain needs!

Phone 06 878 5513 Fax: 06 878 3755

Trevor Taylor

plate since the concept manifested itself in his subconscious some 15 years ago.

He’s a former horticulturalist come property developer come food hub advocate and he’s categorically committed himself to helping this project find its feet.

Taylor invested in part of the Tomoana freezing works around the time he came up with his idea. He built an 80,000 square metre warehouse and factory space – the current home of Tomoana Warehousing Limited.

This site is shared by the warehouse, which operates in a logistics and transportation capacity, and is also home to a distribution centre for iconic New Zealand business, Heinz Wattie’s.

It was in 2006 that Taylor bought another 16 hectares on the property boundary with the vision to transform the area into a multifaceted food hub.

“We could see the huge opportunity available on this site and we wanted to transform it into a resource that would ultimately give back to the local economy and serve the region in both an employment and economic context,” he says.

These palpable drawcards have seen the still a work in progress food hub secure its first tenants who recognised the incredible potential in the cluster approach.

In addition, the expansion will give Heinz Wattie’s the opportunity to grow its infrastructural reach and Taylor hopes it will draw and retain young, local brainpower into the area.

In total it took six years for the project to get the green light. It is journey that has captured that attention of lawmakers, media moguls and local businesses – the suspension building as the arguments for and against volleyed around in both the local government and journalistic arenas. Google is a hot pot of these stories.

Fast forward to 2013 and the future of the Tomoana Food Hub is set in stone.

The future Taylor can now move forward with his development plans, which could also provide facilities for another 20 local businesses, thus strengthening the concept of a cluster hub.

Taylor’s plans for the hub include a purpose built research (R&D) facility available to local food processors and he believes there is scope for significant staff recruitment – in the vicinity of 500 full time staff.

The cluster will represent a collective of independent organisations working collaboratively to cross pollinate knowledge and skills. More importantly, it will facilitate growth for these businesses and the greater Hawke’s Bay region.

The hub, also dubbed a ‘cluster’ will enable processors cost effective real estate on a more casual basis – giving them full access to key tools and resources including transport, warehousing and cold and dry storage capacity.

As these plans gather momentum, all that’s left now is to watch this space – quite literally. The new Tomoana Food Hub is set to revolutionise the way TWL and its industrial counterparts, strategic partners and key stakeholders, do business.

J Young Motors Ltd “Proud to be associated with THT Properties/Tomoana Warehousing” Servicing the Bay for 55 years Trucks, tractors, farm machinery, cars, chainsaws and mowers.

Main Road, Bay View Phone (06) 836 6126

CREATING EXCELLENCE IN MATERIALS HANDLING SOLUTIONS 62 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

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Initiatives | THT Properties Questions with Trevor Taylor We asked Tomoana Food Hub advocate and future owner, Trevor Taylor, about how his fascination with the industry began, the inception for the Tomoana Food Hub concept, and the plans for the hub now, and into the future.

There are wide and varying opinions on the role and benefits of food hubs – how would you define what a food hub is and how would you describe its role within food processing markets?

My definition of a food hub is, “A centrally located facility with a business management structure facilitating the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storage and distribution and/or marketing of locally, or regionally produced food products”.

Thus, the “clustering” of companies involved in the food business co-operation of growers, processors, manufacturers and food service providers within a food hub, provides the opportunity to enhance everyone’s bottom line and expand markets both locally and foreign.

We are not going to significantly improve our GDP by only increasing yields, or by increasing the area for growing crops, so there is a need to develop IP (intellectual property) rich products and high value products that customers want to buy.

One way to enhance the value of horticultural products is to identify the health impact of our foods beyond nutrition.

The next step is to identify photochemicals, which influence health and incorporate into 'functional foods'.

The proposed Tomoana Food Hub will be able to contribute directly to enhancing the co-effective production of existing agri-food products stimulating the development of new high value products.

What do you see as being the key benefits of the hub within the Hawke’s Bay region?

The key benefits of the hub within Hawke’s Bay are, firstly, that Hawke’s Bay is already one of New Zealand’s premier food growing areas with excellent growers, significant processors and good infrastructure.

There is good scope to increase that food production particularly if the Ruataniwha Water Project proceeds. This could open up a further 25000 hectares of land to intensive

Tomoana Warehousing (TWL) farming that will require significant additional processing facilities.

My particular reason to go ahead with the time, effort and expense to get this adjoining property re-zoned for a food hub was firstly to ensure that if Heinz Wattie’s needs to expand in the future by relocating any new business to their Hastings factories, they would have the room to do so as most of the Tomoana site is now developed.

Secondly, I wanted to enable smaller food processors and ensure they have good potential to expand by having access to a modern, high quality food processing facility.

Thirdly, I wanted to encourage food companies to relocate from outside Hawke’s Bay, or overseas to a new modern Greenfield site and gain the benefits of clustering on this site.

TWL is a subsidiary of THT Properties Ltd, a Hawke’s Bay owned and operated company that specialises in third party managed warehousing and logistics functions for the export and import sectors.

Centrally located in Hastings in the Hawke’s Bay region, the company has a direct access line to the Port of Napier, which is only 25 minutes away via the Hawke’s Bay Expressway.

As agents for Spacewise Container Sales and Leasing, TWT can offer both 20’ and 40’ container for purchase or hire. The company has a number of units available at its storage depot for viewing.

TWL can also provide dedicated warehouse space to customers with larger volumes who require longer term arrangements.

TWL complies with all government regulatory requirements for handling of import and export cargoes and is a certified MAF transitional facility.

Who have been your strongest advocates?

We have had great support from Heinz Wattie's, Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce, Business Hawke’s Bay, Port of Napier and Food Hawke’s Bay. What are your immediate plans for the development?

Presently we are putting together a marketing plan, whilst already talking to some potential tenants. We are also planning and costing the infrastructure requirements, which include storm water retention, roading, power and town supply water.

How long will the development take?

We believe that this may take 10 years to complete although, I will not be surprised if it grows very quickly once it is underway.

TWL has a transport division that can provide local or linehaul cartage for 20’ and 40’ containers using its fleet of swing lifts or skeletal trailers. In conjunction with this equipment, it also offers freight movements using curtain sider or flat deck B-trains.

By offering customers shared use of its facilities and resources, TWL is able to pass savings onto its customers. This solution offers considerable value to customers without having to invest into warehousing facilities and equipment, allowing funds to be used on their core business.

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THT Properties Ltd Tomoana Warehousing Ltd Elwood Road Hastings T (06) 873 5350 E stewart.taylor@tomoanawarehousing.co.nz — Advertising Feature

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SOME SAY WE OVERENGINEER OUR TRUCKS WE SAY THEY SHOULD RAISE THEIR STANDARDS

From where you sit, every part in your truck is critical. After all, anything that keeps you from working is costing you money. So we don’t overlook a single detail. Sure Western Star might be the only truck company that works that way, but they’re the only one building a Western Star.

To find out what a Western Star can do for your business call John O’Sullivan on 021 970 930 or visit our website www.heavytrucks.co.nz

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 63

Goods & Services | Rivet

Fabrication by design No business cruises easy street, but there are some businesses that make doing business, well, look easy.

Businesses like this are few and far between, however, and each business that fits into this category, has a unique range of skills and qualities that earned it this kind of standing.

Rivet is the epitome of great business. It’s not extravagant by name, or by nature, but it can rival the toughest of commercial competitors thanks to its strong services and offering.

The company originally known as Scott Sheetmetal and Heating Limited (now trading as Rivet) was initially formed by dad, Dave and two sons, Steve and Grant.

Their combined skills of sheetmetal, fabrication and building gave the business the initial boost it needed to kick-start.

As a specialist in the design, manufacture and installation of stainless steel and sheetmetal fabrications, Rivet has been in business since 1991.

The business operated as a sheetmetal/ engineering and HVAC/heating division up until 2005 when Steve bought the shareholdings from Dave and Grant and took the business in a new direction.

In 2013, this riveting little business has reached a pinnacle milestone in its existence – 21 years.

“My brother, father and I started the business together actually,” Steve Scott confirms.

A family foundation There’s something about a family owned and operated business – it’s just got that, well, good family feeling to it. Rivet hasn’t bucked this trend in the slightest – it represents everything a traditional family business should and more.

“The three of us worked collaboratively on growing the business and then progressively over time, they moved on to do their own thing and I have stayed on.

“Our key strategy from here was to put in place an independent board of directors to provide sound governance and establish a strategy that was sustainable with the

clear objective and goals needed to make the business the best it could be.

“Since then we have sold off the heating division to allow us to focus on the sheetmetal/engineering sector of the business,” Steve explains.

Today Steve works with his wife, Mel and they each contribute significant time, energy and skills to make Rivet tick.

“Mel has excellent professional strength when it comes to the financial and marketing side of the business, and I deal with the technical and sales side of it – we really complement each other in this regard,” Steve explains.

It seems the hard work ethic and attention to detail was bred into Steve because he had the gift of the gab from a very young age. “I am an electrician by trade, but I learned my skills for this industry from dad.

“I always had a passion for this work and we grew up with dad working in his workshop at home, so I think that’s where my skills started to develop.”

You don’t need to look at Rivet’s stellar reputation and broad professional portfolio to

see that this early experience has clearly paid dividends – laying the foundations for a rock solid business.

It is a business that has grown significantly since inception – growth that was unprecedented from Steve’s point of view.

“In the early days our ambition was to have maybe 14 or 15 staff on board, but today, we have 35 employees and this number is consistent.”

The staff at Rivet is highly qualified and extensively trained – including those who come on board in an apprenticeship capacity. “When you get skilled staff on board, it is so important to retain them – so we work very hard when it comes to looking after our employees.

“When I recruit for staff, I am very much looking for a good personality fit – skills can be developed and refined, but personality can’t, so a good team fit is key for us at Rivet.

“In return, we ensure our staff know they are well respected and appreciated and we do our best to see that there is lots of laughter and opportunity in our workplace.”

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64 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Goods & Services | Rivet

Products

Stainless cabinets

Rivet’s extensive product range is true testament to its extensive capabilities.

Rivet can make to order to suit specific cabinet requirements. Cabinets are fabricated from stainless steel aluminum and mild steel with a powder coated finish.

It can complete galvanised ducting projects, as well manufacturing a large range of flue, cowls, casing covers, ceiling plates, offsets and bends in both galvanised and stainless steel.

Rivet can offer standard ‘off the shelf’ options in 100-3500mm dimensions, or alternatively items can be made to customer specifications.

Rivet’s extensive quality stainless and sheet metal fabrication products include the following…

Stainless benches Stainless steel has long been chosen for commercial kitchen projects for its durability and hygienic qualities; however it is now being embraced in the domestic market as a contemporary finish to enhance and beautify any new kitchen.

At Rivet, the company makes orders to measure thanks to its skilled craftsmen and a highly efficient factory in New Plymouth.

All of its benches are made from a minimum of 304 grade stainless. Rivet can deliver and/or professionally install its customer’s custom-made stainless steel bench tops for homes or businesses.

Options include: • Single or multiple doors • Equipment mounting plates • Latched or lockable • Louvered or windows • Any size.

The business houses a range of equipment including switchgear, meter equipment, computer control equipment and safety equipment.

Stainless ducting At Rivet the company can design, manufacture and install complete ducting ventilation systems in accordance with customer requirements, operating predominantly Taranaki and North Island areas.

Ductwork is manufactured to order in our factory in New Plymouth. Fabrications include but are not limited to: • Plenium boxes

Stainless handrails Rivet’s ability to deal with a myriad of different projects means that no job is too big or small. It can assist with industrial, architectural or domestic balustrade and handrail requirements while ensuring a high quality finish that is second to none.

As the business specialises in providing a custom-made service, it is also able to manufacture a variety of other stainless steel kitchen products including:

• Fabricated round duct

The company can make and deliver balustrades according to a customer’s specifications. These include, but are not limited to:

• Attenuators and filter boxes

• Complete stainless steel balustrading

• Ventilation duct and hoods

• Stainless steel glass balustrading

• Kick panels

• Fume extraction hoods.

• Stainless steel wire balustrading

Stainless steel range hoods

• Stainless steel, wrought and light gauge handrails

• Wine racks • Cladding of cupboard doors • Hot plate surrounds • Rangehoods • Flue extensions.

• Grilles

Rivet manufactures stainless steel commercial and domestic range hoods for use in kitchens of every type. Every custom range hood is made to size from fabricated stainless steel and can be tailored to fit exactly to a specific design brief and budget.

Stainless steel fabrications are individually manufactured from highest quality 0.9mm to 1.2mm stainless steel sheeting. All range hoods are designed with the user in mind and are safe and easy to operate, as well as being clean and easy to maintain.

Range hoods can be fitted with an extensive range of high quality motors and fans to perfectly suit cooking requirements. Operated by simple push button controls and with a range of settings, each range hood is custom-made to meet the challenges of cooking in diverse and challenging kitchen environments.

Illuminated by a choice of lighting, each stainless steel range hood surface is also easy to clean with a simple wipe down after use.

Grease filters can be safely removed for easy cleaning and maintenance and high quality motors ensure a large extraction rate and flexible air movement. Rivet can also make the external ducting.

• Wall mounted handrails.

Stainless tanks Rivet's most common tank is the Raglan range. Designed and built in Taranaki to suit New Zealand’s sometimes hard and varied climate, these tanks are rugged, reliable, and lightweight at just 47kgs on empty for the 400 litre capacity structure.

The tanks are very easy to handle and install and can be installed in new and existing situations. A tried, tested and proven resource since 1998, every tank comes with a five-year warranty.

Rivet is capable of manufacturing a wide range of tanks from hot water cylinders to dairy farm drop tanks.

The company’s philosophy is if you can draw it, Rivet can build it. While the Raglan is the business’ most common tank it is often asked to develop something different – make the tank bigger or small, or construct a completely different tank all together – any tank can be made to suit.

The Rivet tank range is available from Rivet and is also distributed through Shuk Engineering.

Easysteel is proud to be associated with Rivet Ltd as a major supplier of steel products.

50 Corbett Rd. Bell Block Plymouth Phone: 06 755 9039 Fax: 06 755 2099 Web: www.easysteel.co.nz Freephone: 0800 EASYSTEEL

460 Devon Street, New Plymouth [ p ] 06 769 6408 [ e ] office@rivet.net.nz [ w ] www.rivet.net.nz

Sheetmetal, Manufacturing, and Engineering solutions www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 65

Goods & Services | Rivet

Innovation is key Rivet’s instinctive approach to research and development within its industry is to be very reactive and innovative in its approach to business development – the industry demands this of the company.

“We like to keep our finger on the pulse and to do this we have been broadening our horizon with trade shows and a trip to Europe last year including Germany, Switzerland and Croatia,” Scott reveals.

“Mel and I had never been to Europe before and we know that it is important we continue to keep an eye on what the industry is doing.”

Given New Zealand’s geographical isolation, it would be easy for a company like Rivet

to let the tyranny of time difference and physical distance stop it from indulging its commercial curiosity, but admirably, it adopts a completely different attitude.

“We wanted to see what the world was doing and I really think it opened our eyes to the prospects for new manufacturing technology in New Zealand.

“Although we were looking for a particular concept that we didn’t find this time around, we were able to bring home a lot of information with us and we will be able to put this into practice from here on in. It also confirmed to us that Rivet is on track with the rest of the world.

“The more we attend shows like this, the more we will learn and we will also get a feel for what works for us and what doesn’t.”

One thing’s for sure when it comes to what works for Rivet, and that’s creativity –a quality the company has in bundles and for good reason. “We pride ourselves on being the type of business that can help our clients take their idea from concept right through to fruition.

“We are all about innovation and helping our clients be innovative too – if they wanted to bring in a drawing for one of their projects on the back of a napkin, we could make this work for them.”

It is this bespoke service that has earned Rivet major additions to its commercial portfolio – a portfolio that will no doubt continue to evolve and be defined by unique projects and challenges that have helped Rivet become what it is today.

“We are proud of the fact that our business is very flexible – we work with small and large sized clients and our main focus never changes. This focus is about concentrating on the sheetmetal industry and what changes this sector experiences, so we can keep pace with changing wants, needs and preferences.

“In our mind, we are really just getting started on what we can offer our clients – our options will increase even further in the next year or so when we complete our purpose built facility in Bell Block.

We are very much looking forward to the opportunities this development will bring.”

Supported by a strong business strategy and the advice of its new financial and accountancy consultant, PwC, the company is set to exceed even its own expectations now and into the future.

“We are looking forward to our partnership with PwC and the advice it can give us to take our business strategies even further.

“We are a company that is strongly focused on the future – we don’t worry too much about yesterday because you can’t change it, you can learn from it and move on, we are firmly focused on today and tomorrow and how we can do better for our clients.”

66 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

Testimonials Testament to the excellent rapport Rivet has with its clients.

“

“We are proud to use Rivet for all stainless steel bench tops and toe kicks required for our kitchen and joinery business. We find the team at Rivet to always be professional and efficient while offering a superb product with service to match. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Rivet to prospective and future clients and we are proud to support this fantastic local business.”

- Brad and Annika Rowson, directors of Rowson Kitchen and Joinery Ltd

”

“

“I have known Steve Scott as a director of Rivet for over 15 years; I have had the opportunity to work with Rivet on a variety of projects through Taranaki and the North Island.

“Rivet are always competitive on price and Steve’s team has vast product knowledge of the industry and regulations – they can be relied on to provide solutions for challenging problems that arise on projects.

“Rivet has always worked in well with our building and construction personal and clients – meeting tight deadlines sometimes under trying conditions. I have no hesitation in recommending Rivet as a reliable and trustworthy contractor.”

- Peter Snowden, managing director of Lifestyle Building and Construction Ltd

”

Goods & Services | Rivet

Fuss free functionality Rivet has the capacity to take a job, big or small, by the horns and run with it.

From large-scale commercial projects right through to small bespoke jobs and repairs, the business can do it all without fuss or hesitation – something that its broad range of clients greatly appreciates.

“Our current work type consists mainly of oneoff and small production runs of switchboard cabinets, sink benches, hoods, handrails, process equipment, commercial ducting for heating and ventilation and repairs. Typically these products are fabricated from stainless steel, aluminum, mild steel, brass and copper.

“Our current structure has been put in place to allow for future expansion with floor staff being groomed to foreman status as and when required.

“All of our trade and technical staff have sheetmetal trade qualification with the exception of our year two and three apprentices who are currently working through their qualification. It is a company objective to continually bring through apprentices, as well as up-skill our current trade base.”

Rivet’s projects are technically and contextually diverse – a challenge the company embraces.

It has worked with iconic New Zealand commercial institutions like The Warehouse in New Plymouth – undertaking ducting and extract work in its underground car park, and the business is currently completing an upgrade for New World that involves benching and trimming.

It has also completed new Countdown benches for butcheries and delis, as well as providing brackets and powder coated extract hoods for the ANZ bank upgrade in Auckland.

“At present we are working on the ducting for a new Police Station and recently completed the mechanical services for an accommodation module for Haden. This accommodation module was on a drilling rig located in the Bas Strait, which involved both galvanised and 3mm stainless plate ducting,” Steve says.

“Four or five of our guys were working on this heavy engineering and industrial project for six to seven months – it was the biggest project we have taken on to date.”

Mild steel division Rivet’s first class business acumen has not only earned it a first class reputation, but it has also earned the company multiple awards in the local business awards in the trade/ manufacturing category.

Rivet also scooped the employer of choice award too – although that is only to be expected given its strong professional relationships.

These relationships have inspired new and unique projects for the company and following its successful securement of a competitive tender-based contract; Rivet has had to focus on expanding its physical presence too.

“For us we are always looking at our options and not just how we can make A, but also everything from B through to Z too,” Steve explains of the company’s diverse skill set.

Thinking outside the square was a prerequisite for its new contract with ABB, which involves fabricating transformer tanks. “ABB was looking for an opportunity to contract this work out in New Plymouth,” Steve says.

“We competed against six other local companies for this contract and we spent 15 months preparing for this work – including a

Rivet – Fabrication by Design is a specialist in the design, manufacturing and installation of stainless steel and sheetmetal fabrication, including but not limited to: • Storage tanks • Pressure tanks • Benching – commercial and domestic • Range hoods – commercial and domestic • Electrical cabinets • Handrails • Flashings • Ducting • On-site installation.

few delays. In the end we only had a very short window of time - 19 days - due to these delays, to get up and running. We got the green light to activate our new premises in December 2010 and in January 2011, we were underway.”

The new premise Steve is referring to takes the form of a new workshop dedicated solely to transformer tank manufacturing. ”Mild Steel and stainless steel cannot be handled out of one workshop due to the potential for contamination to stainless steel. We now have 14 employees working in this division pretty much solely on ABB work,” Steve explains.

“So we have two branches – one that accommodates Mild Steel and one that is the base for all our stainless and light gauge sheetmetal fabrication work. Future physical developments for us will involve having both branches running independent of each other, but within one site.”

Rivet 460 Devon Street East PO Box 3255 New Plymouth T (07) 769 6408 E office@rivet.net.nz www.rivet.net.nz

— Advertising Feature

460 Devon Street, New Plymouth [ p ] 06 769 6408 [ e ] office@rivet.net.nz [ w ] www.rivet.net.nz

Sheetmetal, Manufacturing, and Engineering solutions www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 67

Goods & Services | Argent Motor Lodge

Hamilton’s downtown destination As the state highway system developed in the 1930s, we began to take to the road more often and for longer. With that came the need for easily accessible overnight accommodation close to the main highways.

While a prime central location is a key point of difference for Hamilton’s Argent Motor Lodge which celebrates its first business birthday this year, co-owner Clare Gallagher explains that’s not all that sets this popular home away from home aside from its competitors.

“What really makes us different is our location; we’re really centrally located, which puts us in a fantastic position whether you’re heading north or south. It’s the perfect spot if you are wanting to head to Mystery Creek or to the airport; we’re close enough to head to Rotorua for the day or visit Hobbiton and of course we border Waikato Hospital and Braemar Hospital which is just 300 metres away.

“Construction is also really important to us; the way rooms are configured enables us to cater for a range of people and circumstances.

Our soundproof construction, not just downstairs, but also upstairs with concrete blocks and full hush glass, means that our guests are treated to super quiet and warm apartments. We like to think we have some of the best apartments available in Hamilton.”

Firstly there are the two bedroom apartment options. “For a guests who comes and stays in a two bedroom apartment they get more than two bedrooms and a lounge; they get the two bedrooms, they get two bathrooms, two kitchens, three televisions and an interconnecting lobby between rooms, all for their own private use,” Clare explains.

For those who want to be more cost effective or don’t require that level of space, there are super king apartments or king studio apartments. “You still get the fantastically huge bathrooms and all of the latest mod cons but with either king or super king beds in a studio apartment type location.”

For hospital guests and those who require more stability in their apartments, there are the studio access apartments. “We’ve been very particular about our fixtures and fittings

that we’ve put into those rooms, so not to compromise our guests and their safety,” she says.

“We still give them that really great Argent Motor Lodge feel, but allow them to be safe and secure while they are staying with us.”

Last but certainly not least is the one bedroom apartment. “The one bedroom apartments are just that little bit more luxurious for people, without the huge price tag associated with luxury, including the full bathroom with the huge double ended baths and complimentary bath salts.”

So un-motel like is Argent’s style, that many guests end up purchasing the same furniture for their own homes. “We’re up to six guests that we know of who have ended up buying the same beds for their homes and many people have purchased the same lamps. It shows that people really like what we’re putting into the apartments.”

However, the biggest value for Argent guests is that they arrive as strangers and leave as friends. “When we started with Argent we really wanted to be able to provide something a little bit different in the accommodation sphere. That’s what Argent represents for us.

“We could try and be all things to all people, have conference facilities and many more rooms, but then you lose your ability to focus on what is the core part of your business.

For us, that is outstanding accommodation options and world class service for our guests.

“It’s always been really important for us that people feel valued when they are staying with us. We actually care about them and want to do everything within our power to ensure they are having the best stay they can possibly have.”

The pair refuse to take all the glory of their stunning business, reflecting it back to those that have had a direct hand in Argent Motor Lodge itself.

“Argent is really the brainchild of our landlords, Bill and Anne Luther; they’re the ones who developed the site and actually built the motel. My husband Richard and I bought the lease and Bill and Anne’s support

Congratulates Richard, Clare and Argent Motor Lodge on an outstanding first year. We wish you every success for year two and beyond!

Sekta Architects Ltd P. 07 853 2204 E. stan@sekta.co.nz www.sekta.co.nz

has been fabulous. While it is a business relationship, it’s become more than that.

They are now our friends. Bill and Anne had previously owned their own motel and knew what was needed and what was not.

“Sekta Architects put a huge amount of time and energy into making sure what they designed would work on all fronts, which is never an easy task from sitting behind a desk or walking a construction site. It’s because of the time, dedication and consideration they

Congratulations to Argent Motor Lodge for their first successful year in business.

Proud to be the Architects for Argent Motor Lodge.

SPECIALISTS IN COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE.

www.ellicetanner.co.nz 68 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz

put into the designs that we’re here today and doing so well. We completely appreciate the fabulous job they have done.”

For Richard and Clare the tourism and hospitality sector was relatively new. Never business owners before, they put their trust in Rob Hart of Ellice Tanner Hart to ensure that they met all of their obligations and knew 100 percent what they were in for. “We are very thankful to Rob for his patience and support,” Clare says.

Whoever credit goes to, there is no denying the finished product is such that anyone would be proud to be a part of, whether that be as a supplier, an owner or a guest.

With accolades such as number one in the North Island on Trip Advisor and a 2013 Certificate of Excellence, ranked 11th in the country for customer service and a 2013 Travellers Choice Award stacking up after just a short period in business, it’s obvious the guests agree.

Argent Motor Lodge 27 Lorne Street Hamilton T (07) 843 9912 T 0800 275 676 E info@argenthamilton.co.nz www.argenthamilton.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Motoring | Classics Museum

A contemporary glimpse into motoring history The Classics Museum offers a taste of nostalgia for all motoring enthusiasts, accompanied with a side order of family focused fun and activity.

With an ever-changing selection of showcased vehicles, from pedal cars to Burt Munroe’s Fastest Indian (as used on set by Sir Anthony Hopkins), the plethora of car candy on offer is enough to trigger a sense of nostalgia in most of us.

This glimpse into motoring history opened its doors last December as Hamilton’s latest tourist attraction to be enjoyed by locals and international visitors alike.

Hamilton businessman Tom Andrews has always had a penchant for automobiles. In fact, his first (of many) business ventures included vehicle servicing. Buoyed by purchases he made years ago, such as a sign from Big Tree Petrol Company (a former New Zealand enterprise bought by Shell), now valued at around $10,000, the memorabilia kept mounting until Tom decided it was time to let others revel in his collection.

The wide range of cars including European and American models sits at nearly 100.

Instead of housing them in warehouses across the city, Tom decided he would open the Classics Museum as the region had an apparent market gap.

Combining the older generation’s appreciation for all things mechanical with the younger generation’s inquisitive nature, the Classic Museum offers a family friendly day of fun.

To further complement the impressive scope of Tom’s personal collection, the Classic

Museum also offers an intriguing range of vintage collectables to tantalise visitors.

Not all of the collectables are of the four wheeled variety; one of the museum’s prized possessions is a three wheeled German bubble car - a Messerschmitt KR200 (retail price approximately $50,000$60,000).

The two story, 2,500 sqm building situated close to State Highway 1 on Railside Place is the ideal place for a weekend getaway with or without the kids.

The Jukebox Diner The Jukebox Diner is a funky 1950s themed diner situated within the museum. Visitors are greeted by the impressive 13m tall

1950s replica Wurlitzer Jukebox in the eatery’s entrance. Decorated with pictures yesteryear’s rock and roll stars and staff dressed in eraspecific attire, the diner is a joyous throwback like the rest of the Classics Museum.

The Jukebox Diner offers a wide range of appetising meals and snacks to keep the belly as entertained as the eyes! For the younger generation, there is a fenced off children’s area with rides and other forms of fun entertainment that allow mum and dad the chance to relax over a cup of coffee or a scrumptious diner snack.

Classics Museum manager, Emily L’Huillier oversees the seven days a week operation and states that weekends, especially Sundays, attract the big crowds.

www.centraltoday.co.nz July/August 2013 | 69

Motoring | Classics Museum “We opened with a big carnival family fun day An evolving display and since then we have been very busy. Every weekend, especially Sundays, we have a large Every few months the displays on offer at number of people travelling from all over the the Classics Museum change to keep regular visitors intrigued. country to see our collection,” she says.

“Our displays are continuously changing The Classic Museum has certainly struck a and being updated. We’ve had three major vein of interest among New Zealanders who changes in our first six months being open,” are flocking from far and wide to cast their Emily says. eyes across the impressive collection of automobile memorabilia.

One worry for Tom Andrews was the idea of presenting his beloved classic car collection to Using the showcase of models while simultaneously offering a ‘day out’ experience the prying public. Often people will prefer to look with their hands rather than their eyes, has undoubtedly increased the number of but Andrews concluded that one percent visitors to the museum. While the setting maybe 1950s, the experience is very modern- of the population can’t spoil it for the well behaved 99 percent. day, as the menu at the Jukebox Diner is certainly very contemporary.

The owner, and still keen collector, takes pride in allowing others to enjoy his collection; Before the day is done, there is still time better the community has an interesting focal to commemorate the Classics Museum point than a man has a secret collection. experience by visiting the souvenir store where paraphernalia such as pens, tin signs, mugs, magnets, postcards and t-shirts can be purchased.

The Bell Air Lounge The Bell Air Lounge is the perfect place to entertain, host or gather with an impressive view across the entire museum.

The conference room facility is capable of seating up to 100 people and with Christmas approaching quicker than anyone’s really comfortable with, it may well pay to get in touch with the team at Classics Museum to book an unforgettable step back in time for this year’s festive gathering.

Keep an eye on the Classic Museum website and Facebook page to see the recent goingson and also to hear first hand about the exciting events planned in the pipeline.

Hours and admission Classics Museum 11 Railside Place Frankton Hamilton T (07) 957 2230 E Emily@classicsmuseum.co.nz www.classicsmuseum.co.nz — Advertising Feature

Open seven days a week – 9am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday – 9am to 4pm Jukebox Diner - Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 4:00pm

Admission prices Adult - $20 Child (5-14 years) - $8 NZ student - $15 Senior citizen (65 plus) - $12 Under 5s - free

Family concessions One adult and two children - $25 Two adults and one child - $40 Two adults and two children - $40 Extra child - $5 Groups exceeding 10 people - $15pp

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70 | July/August 2013 www.centraltoday.co.nz